Zootopian Assassins
by CAPTAINPRICE79
Summary: The Zootopian Brotherhood is on its last legs. It only has two remaining field operatives, though neither know of the other's role as an Assassin. Ater finding out about each other, they are less than pleased. Follow their adventures as they deal with a dying Brotherhood and an ever growing Templar threat, along with other mammals they meet and recruit. Includes heavy gore.
1. Prologue

**Hey guys Price here and welcome to the Prologue to my Assassin's Creed and Zootopia Crossover. Not sure what to call it, since Zoossassin's Creed seems stupid. May have to go with that though. Yes, Judy and Nick are both Assassins, but are also still cops as well. May have to make up characters as Templars, unless you guys have ideas. So yeah, I now have five ongoing Zootopia stories. So what? Sue me. Don't, actually. You'd lose. Okay, I'm blabbering. Sorry. But yeah, I have five Zootopia stories to attend to total, and I also have Rebirth and A Pack Divided, but those are going on hiatus for now. Sorry. I'll take some inspiration from Syndicate for the occasional name and event(and maybe the ending. Or is it the halfway mark? You'll have to wait and see)), but otherwise it's all original. Also, in this AU, Bogo is the Mentor. Anyway, I think it's time to get...onto the story!**

 _Somewhere around midnight Sunday July 10, 2020, Precursor site Delta_

Judy slowly lowered the body of the Templar she'd just slipped her hidden blade into, Nick doing the same next to her. They entered a large room to see their target: Templar Grandmaster Clawford Bearrick. Judy signaled Nick, and he leapt onto a raised platform on the right side of the hall while she did the same on the left side. They made their way to the opposite end of the chamber. Nick looked at Judy and she jerked her head. He leapt, hidden blade sliding out with a barely audible snick.

 _Somewhere around ten AM Tuesday December 5, 2016, Precinct One_

Judy Hopps walked into the bullpen with her partner, Nick Wilde. They sat down in their own chair at the front left table. Chief Bogo entered with the usual fanfare of hooting, shouting, and table banging. Judy flinched, her extra-sensitive ears laying back to try and minimize the cacophony. Nick did the same in her peripheral vision.

"Settle down!" Bogo shouted, Judy and Nick both grimacing lightly. Bogo announced a few things, gave orders, and had the monthly parking duty joke with the rabbit and fox. They fell for it every time, and this was no different.

They left with their orders, a "patrol" in Savannah Central.

They entered the cruiser, excited to finally have a target after months of quiet.

"Hey Carrots, you remember when we realized we were both Assassins?" Nick asked, Judy blushing lightly.

"Yeah. What about it?" She asked, thinking she knew where it was going.

"You just kiss pretty good, that's all." Nick answered, Judy sighing. Not that bad, at least.

"If I remember correctly, you kissed me." Judy retorted, both glad and slightly saddened by the fact that they were able to keep up their jokes and playful barbs despite what they did for a living. Aside from being cops, at least. She sighed, reminiscing amusedly.

 _Midnight Tuesday October 28, 2015, Rainforest District_

Judy pulled up her peaked hood from the seclusion of the shadows, her all black outfit blending seamlessly into the darkness provided. Her target, a white furred wolf, entered the clearing she stood watch over, Judy smirking lightly. This would be too easy.

A few seconds later, more mammals followed, Judy's apprehension growing with every increase in numbers. She waited for a few more moments before she slowly climbed down the tree she was on. She stood on the very edge of the clearing, still undetected.

She tensed her legs to dash forward and claim the life of another Templar when a flash of reddish-orange filled her vision for a second. When it cleared, a creature who was dressed similarly to her, except with orange clothes and red highlights, plus the occasional splotch of green, stood over the body of the Templar. Her eyes widened in disbelief, then anger. She was the only Assassin she knew of in Zootopia, so that meant this mammal was a freelancer with similar equipment and clothing style. The mammal said something to the Templar, who growled out something in return, then looked at the mammals that had surrounded him when he'd slain her target. Four had their backs to her.

With a barely audible sound, she activated her hidden blades and dashed forward, stabbing the two closer Templars in the back of the neck, just under the skull. She then sliced the throat of the far right Templar, rolling backward and leaping to be behind the last of the four, stabbing it in the chest when it turned.

"There's two!?" One of the Templars shouted, everyone looking at her. The freelancer took the opportunity to dash to the side and slice open four throats before anybody realized he'd moved. Judy, however, was confused. The other was clearly a freelancer. She was the only one who'd been taking out targets since she'd arrived, so she didn't know how they'd mistake the other mammal as an Assassin. It wasn't until the other mammal had done a spin kick that she saw the Assassin's symbol on a sash around the mammal's waist.

The other mammal was quick to get close to her, though she was reluctant. His fighting style was very different from hers, though it was suspicious the mammal seemed to know her weaknesses and strengths, proven when they capitalized on her weaknesses and seemed to counter them with their own strengths.

Judy dodged a claw swipe, the freelancer rolling over her back as she ducked, stabbing the Templar in the throat.

Soon, the Templars were dead, and Judy and the mystery mammal stood back to back. They apparently had the same idea at the same time, and both spun quickly and activated hidden blades, the tips barely touching the throat of the other mammal.

Judy stood still for a few seconds in thought, then retracted her blade and spun, intending to kick the mammal in the head. The freelancer retracted their blade and blocked her kick with a forearm, Judy blinking in surprise. She lowered her leg and brought it under her.

"It seems I'm not the only Assassin here." Judy said, the other mammal recoiling a step at her voice.

"Fluff?" The mammal asked, Judy's eyes widening.

"Nick!?" She shouted, both of them tearing off the other's hood. Judy's ears flicked up, nose twitching in surprise as the hood came off of the other mammal, revealing her partner on the force, Nick Wilde, standing there.

"What are you doing here!?" They both shouted, then pausing. "Why are you dressed like that!?" They tried again, frowning when they both said the same thing.

"Fluff, why are you dressed like an Assassin? Better yet, why are you fighting like one?" Nick asked, Judy raising an eyebrow. She tapped the symbol on her waist, Nick placing his head in his paw. "So I'm not alone. Great. Now I have to worry about you during our day and night jobs." He said, Judy scoffing at his remark.

"You mean I have to worry about you!" She said, Nick rolling his eyes.

"Oh just shut up." He said, suddenly grabbing her shoulders and pulling her into a very...very passionate kiss. Judy stood still in shock for a moment before relenting. It wasn't that bad, at least.

After breaking it off, Nick panted lightly, looking away sheepishly. "Sorry." He said, Judy blinking.

"For what?" She asked, Nick looking at her her in shock.

"You mean you...aren't disgusted?" He asked, clearly surprised.

"Hard to be disgusted when you've been a Pred Chaser your whole life." She said, as if it was common knowledge that he should know. Nick stood there, maw agape in even more shock at her remark.

"You mean you're..." He trailed off, as if trying to find the right words.

"Attracted to predators? Yes. Yes I am. One hundred percent." She answered, Nick smiling lightly at the remark.

"But...what about what happened when you were nine?" He asked, immediately regretting it. She hadn't told him, and he just revealed he knew about it. Great. He was so dead.

"You mean with Gideon? Oh please, that was...good." She said, though sheepishly. She seemed to realize her mistake a moment later. "I mean good in that it helped me get over my instinctual fear!" She added, Nick raising an eyebrow.

"How?" He asked, though he suspected he knew the answer.

"I met you. Whether it was by chance or otherwise, what happened is why I met you." She said, Nick scoffing at the sappiness of the statement. "It's true! What happened added subconscious bias on top of my instinctual fear, and that's why I followed you into the ice cream parlor! My subconscious bias and instinctual fear made me suspect you were up to no good!" She explained, then gained a look of thinking. "Well, I suppose you were but that's besides the point."

"...Wow. Didn't think of it that way." He said, his surprise at the truth evident on his face. Judy smirked.

"So...how did you know what happened when I was nine?" She finally asked, Nick cringing at the absence of apparent anger. Whether it was good or bad would depend on his answer, he knew.

"When I found your file a few weeks ago, it mentioned it under a list of possible problems. Surprisingly, it was higher on the list than your gung ho attitude and competitiveness." He said, unable to hold in the last remark. "Sorry."

"For looking at my file? It's open to partners, so they know who they're working with. You shouldn't apologize for being curious." She said, absentmindedly pulling her hood up when she felt liquid touch her head. "Though I am curious why you kissed me. Not complaining, but why?" She asked, tilting her head a tad bit.

"I don't know. Seemed right at the moment." Nick answered, sighing. "Though if I had to hazard a more precise guess, I'd say it was more out of relief and fear. Relief I finally knew what you were hiding from me, and fear that I may just lose you. It seemed more real than when we became partners." He said, mood suddenly somber.

"If it helps, know that I don't plan on taking unnecessary chances." She said, making Nick raise an eyebrow. "Don't even say it."

"What? That I worry about you?" He said, purposefully saying what Judy knew he said to get on her nerves.

"Never mind. Let's just go and report to Bogo."

 _Twelve PM Wednesday October 29, 2015, Precinct One_

Judy entered Bogo's office, followed by Nick. Bogo stood behind his desk, looking at something they couldn't see.

"Hopps. How went the assassination?" He asked, somehow knowing it was her.

"Without a hitch, sir." She answered, looking at Nick.

"Well, except for one thing." Nick said, Bogo visibly stiffening.

"I see." He said, turning to face them. "Let me explain." He said, Judy hopping up onto his desk from the chair in anger.

"No! How could you keep this from us!? Me and Nick are partners! You don't just keep these kinds of things from partners who are supposed to trust each other with their lives!" She shouted, forgetting he was both the Chief of Police and the Brotherhood's Mentor.

"If I recall, you both agreed to keep it from the other as well." Bogo said, voice deceptively calm.

"And if we hadn't, we wouldn't have almost killed each other!" Nick suddenly shouted, paws slamming Bogo's desk. Bogo ignored the paw slamming in his surprise.

"Explain." He said, Judy going into a long tirade about her setup, the time she took to make sure everything went smoothly, and then how Nick had ran in unannounced and almost ruined everything. His ears flattened at that, though ignored it in favor of listening to the compliments she gave. His ears flattened upon his head further at the mention of how they'd both spun and had blades to the other's throat, leaving out his shut-up kiss and their dialogue afterwards.

"So, and we've thought about this the whole time on our way here, and we've come to the conclusion that we deserve to know why you decided to keep it hidden." Judy said, crossing her arms stubbornly.

Bogo sighed. This was not how he'd wanted to tell them.

"I didn't want to tell you like this, Hopps, Wilde." He started, Nick scoffing.

"Better this way than making us find out the hard way." He said, Judy shivering as she realized what he'd meant. Better this way than letting them find out by killing the other.

"I suppose you're right, Wilde. I kept it hidden because, one, I do worry about my officers, if I don't already make it obvious. I didn't want this to weigh on your conscious'." He said, Judy lightly tapping her foot in irritation. "Two, because I knew you'd act like this." He finished, Judy merely narrowing her eyes.

"Whatever do you mean? We're being so nice and civilized about it." Nick said, Judy glaring at him. She sighed and hopped down from the desk.

"Come on Nick. We're done here." She said, opening the door and walking out. Nick looked at Bogo almost apologetically, like he was reluctant to leave without apologizing. He held up a finger and opened his mouth, then seemed to think better about it, and pulled out a blood stained feather without a word and placed it on Bogo's desk, then turned, walking out the door and quietly closing it.

Nick waited until they were in the cruiser before he spoke.

"What the hell, Judy!? You could have just cost us both our jobs and, quite possibly, our lives if not our positions in the Brotherhood!" He shouted, Judy at least having the decency to look ashamed. "I agree with you, really, but you can't just do that!" He exclaimed, Judy looking away quietly. Suddenly, a thought struck here and she let out a laugh. "What's so funny?" He asked, curious despite his anger.

"This conversation. What just happened in Bogo's office. It all seems like something you would do, and I'd be the one reprimanding you. But instead I freak out and you have to reprimand me." She explained, Nick only giving a ghost of a smile.

"You're right. That is funny. But this is serious, Judy. I just can't think about what Bogo might do or else I have a panic attack. So, for once, I'm going to be serious for the rest of the day. I have to, because this requires it." He said, Judy pouting lightly. Then she looked up and to her right when she noticed Nick was holding his right paw over his side, and horror overcame her regret.

"Nick, why are you holding your side?" She asked, afraid of the answer.

"Huh? Oh, no reason." He said, paw not moving, though his voice sounded distant, almost tired.

"Nick..." Judy trailed off, grabbing his paw and throwing it to the side. She blinked. There was nothing there.

"Gotcha!" Nick said, Judy letting out a small, but dark, chuckle. Nick looked at her with apprehension. "Carrots, what are you thinking about?" He asked, scared for his safety.

"I am gonna destroy you tonight."

 **Alright! That does it for this Crossover, now called Zootopian Assassins on and Assassins of Zootopia on AO3. I hope you guys like it. It was fun to write. If you see all AC easter eggs, good for you. Leave them in a review if you think so, and I'll say whether or not you are correct. I'll make it easy if not. One from AC Revelations and one from A Night to Remember in AC Syndicate. I will be leaving random little Easter Eggs, so an AC fan from the beginning will know most, if they've played all the games. Well, console games, at least. I couldn't resist the WildeHopps. I wanted to have it be canon only at the ending, but I'm too trashy to say no. Sorry. Wait, why am I apologizing for WildeHopps? Who knows. And yes, I took the term Pred Chaser from the story The Pred Chaser's Itch, though I forget who wrote it. Anyway, I'll see you guys...next update. Word Count: 2,755**


	2. New Contract

**Hey guys Price here and welcome to Chapter One of Zootopian Assassins/Assassins of Zootopia. I promise you that I fully intend to make good action scenes, though I can't promise anything regarding dialogue or interactions scenes that aren't involving fighting. Dialogue isn't my strong suit. But yeah, probably won't have a fight in this chapter, but we'll see. I'll say that and then I'll write one because I got bored. I'm blabbering aren't I? My apologies. I guess. But yeah, look forward to some more AC Easter Eggs. I plan to have a lot more in the story. If you didn't see the Easter Eggs last time, they were the name of the Templar Grandmaster, based on Crawford Sterrick from Syndicate, and one of Ezio's moves in the Revelations Opening Cinematic. Hopefully now they are obvious. I'm gonna have a relative of *censored* be an important figure in Nick's past, though because I suck at suspense I'll say who it is in this chapter. Also, Fangmeyer is the tiger officer, right? Loadouts will be updated when I can think of something to add. And the weapons and gadgets are capitalized to signal as being Brotherhood gear. Non-brotherhood gear with the same name will not be , that's enough of that, I think it's time to get...onto the story!**

 **Loadouts**

 **J: Normal Hidden Blade on left paw; ACIII Hidden blade on right paw; Short Sword on back; Rope Launcher on left bracer; Five Flash Grenades; Fifteen Smoke Grenades; Thirty Throwing Knives throughout her mammal; Pouch for Lock Picks on left side; Pouch for broken Lock Picks on right side; Hidden Boot Blades on both heels and front of her boots; Collapsible Baton for capture missions; Light Armor**

 **N: Unity Phantom Blade on left paw, Normal Hidden Blade on right paw; Rope Launcher on right bracer; Collapsible Tomahawks on both thighs((think Innie Leader's Tomahawks from Red vs Blue Season 10)); Twenty Throwing Knives throughout his mammal; Twenty Smoke Grenades; Collapsible Baton for capture missions; Medium Armor**

 _Eight thirty PM Thursday October 30, 2015, The Apartment_

Judy sat on the couch in the apartment her and Nick shared. It had started as just a way for them to stay in touch. That, and Nick had felt sorry for Judy having to live in Pangolin Arms. Said Fox also happened to be sitting next to her.  
"So I've been thinking. What do you think the Creed actually means?" Judy asked, placing a paw under her jaw in thought.  
"Nothing is true. Everything is permitted. Rather cynical sounding. And it would be, if it were doctrine. But it is merely an observation of the nature of reality. To say that nothing is true, is to realize that the foundations of society are fragile, and that we must be the shepherds of our own civilization. To say that everything is permitted, is to understand that we are the architects of our actions, and that we must live with their consequences, whether glorious or tragic." Nick said, Judy blinking in surprise. The somber look on his face told her he knew this more from experience than getting questions answered.  
"Are there any other ways you can explain it?" She asked, curious but wondering if there were any happy ways to explain the Creed's meaning.  
"Not really, at least not to my knowledge." He said, Judy sighing.  
"Okay, so how'd you join the Brotherhood?" Judy asked, Nick smiling lightly at the question.  
"It was the day after I turned eighteen, actually. I'd pulled a scam on somebody and they may or may not have been a Templar. An Assassin came after him and, well, the Templar killed him. Absolute curb stomp. Got wounded though. So, when he came for me again, I took the initiative. I'd managed to stay hidden long enough that I was able to grab the Assassin's Hidden Blade and, well, you can probably guess. Afterwards, Bogo came and found me. He explained it to me, and I decided to join seeing as the Assassin he sent was still a Novice and was also the last Assassin left besides Bogo." Nick explained, Judy blinking in surprise when a thought dawned on her.  
"So that's why nobody's busted you for federal tax evasion!" She exclaimed, only a little bit surprised.  
"Well, that and the money went to the Brotherhood." Nick said, Judy staring at him.  
"I'm surprised by that last bit, honestly." She said, Nick gasping mockingly.  
"I am hurt by your words, Carrots! Truly, you wound me with your accusations!" He said, Judy rolling her eyes.  
"You don't have to be so dramatic." She muttered, crossing her arms. "Besides, it's not like I don't have reasons to be surprised. You were a con-fox after all. How was I supposed to suspect you were a Brother?" She asked, huffing.  
"I'm surprised you didn't notice by the way Bogo seemed to so easily give in to my deductions. Truthfully, his fox comment hurt, but I knew it was just an act. He cares more for his Brothers and Sisters than his cops, if that's possible." Nick commented, Judy thinking back on it.  
"You were two hours off, by the way." She finally said, Nick rolling his eyes at her. "But yes, now that I think about it, it does make sense." She conceded, ignoring Nick's smirk. "Actually, a lot of things make sense now. It explains why when I used my Sense on you, you glowed green. I was so confused because the only other person that's glowed green was Bogo. Now that I know only your fellow Brothers and Sisters glow green, it seems so obvious." She remarked, Nick perking up at that.  
"That does make sense. At first I just thought maybe you hung around Bogo so your pheromones were similar, but that does explain it better." He agreed, Judy raising both eyebrows.  
"You mean the Sense picks up pheromones? I thought it was intent or something." She admitted, looking away sheepishly.  
"Pheromones relay intent. So in a way, we're both right. At least, I think that's how it works. Possibly." Nick said, his being unsure making Judy smile.  
"Alright, enough sitting around. Let's see if Bogo's got a case for us." Judy said, picking up her phone.  
"Hold on, you haven't told me about how you started out as a Sister." Nick said, Judy arching an eyebrow.  
"You make it sound like I'm religious." Judy sarcastically remarked, rolling her eyes.  
"Aren't you?" Nick asked, surprised by her comment.  
"No." Judy answered, Nick blinking. "But, I guess it's because of me being an Assassin. I don't want to think about them going to a better place, so I don't. Simple." She added, Nick nodding slowly in understanding.  
"So..." He trailed off, rolling his paw as a sign to continue.  
"Right. I was born in Bunny Burrow twenty four years ago, but you obviously know that. I came across a Templar pair once, a month after you went to the academy to be a cop. I overheard them say something about a very illegal operation and my cop instincts kicked in. They overpowered me. Luckily, somebody was passing by when it happened and called the cops. Bogo came, in full Brotherhood attire, mind you, and killed them. At first I was horrified. I knew he was a cop and had probably killed before, but, well, I guess it was the grace he did it with. The way he shrugged it off, as if it was just him exterminating a pest. It scared me, at the time. He knew he had to explain, so he did. Suddenly, I understood what the Sense was. I knew what I had to do. I joined, and, well, that was my first contract after that happened, yesterday." She explained, Nick cringing lightly at the last part.  
"I...ruined your first contract?" He asked, Judy hastily waving her paws.  
"No! You helped, actually! I don't think I could have done it without you." She hastily answered, Nick arching an eyebrow.  
"That's not what you said in Bogo's office." He said, Judy rolling her eyes.  
"Stop complaining." She said, grabbing the back of his head and pulling him in for a passionate kiss.  
"Oh..." Nick said, blinking when she released him. He growled playfully.  
"Hungry, are we?" Judy asked, Nick barely keeping himself from choking at the comment.  
"Ravenous." He answered, grin working it's way back up to his muzzle.  
"Maybe I can help with that." She said, laying back.  
"Maybe you can." Nick murmured, grinning.

 _Two hours later_

Judy lazily reached for her phone when it rung, eyes widening when she saw it was Clawhauser on Muzzletime  
She turned to look at Nick, passed out on the couch's opposite end. She angled herself so Nick was out of camera shot.  
"Hey, Ben. How are you?" She asked nervously, keeping the camera above her neck.  
"Great! The chief just got worried when you guys didn't report back for the case involving your contract." He answered, then gasping loudly and covering his muzzle. "I wasn't supposed to add that last part!" He said, cringing when Judy just stared at him.  
"What." Judy finally managed to ask, Clawhauser flinching.  
"N-nothing. Just forget I said anything." He said, Judy blinking when he hung up.  
She turned to Nick and shook him.  
"Nick? Wake up." She said, Nick grumbling before cracking open his eyes slowly.  
"Carrots? What is it?" He asked, albeit groggily.  
"What kind of mammal was the Assassin you saw take on the Templar?" She asked, Nick looking confused.  
"Why do you ask?" The confusion on Nik's face would have made her laugh any other time. Too bad this was a serious question.  
"Answer the question." She said, crossing her arms.  
"A...cheetah, I think. Why?" Nick asked, tilting his head, unsure why Judy was bringing it up now.  
"Oh sweet cheese and crackers." She said, looking horrified.  
"What? What is it Judy?" Nick asked, looking slightly scared now.  
"I just realized who it was." She said, sitting there for a few seconds as various courses of action flew through her mind. She flew off the couch as soon as she chose one, immediately grabbing and slipping on clothes. "Nick! Get dressed!" She shouted, throwing clothes at him.  
"O-okay Carrots." Nick said, looking confused. He did as he was told, though, reaching for his tie.  
"No." Judy said firmly, slapping his paw. "These clothes." She added, handing him his Assassin clothes  
"But we're off today." He muttered, Judy glaring. He put the clothes on, not wanting to face his bunny's wrath.

 _Thirty Minutes Later, Precinct One_

Judy stood on the roof of Precinct One, waiting for Nick as he climbed up the side of the building. When he finally reached the top, she opened the grate above Bogo's office silently, gesturing for him to enter.  
Nick slid his head into the darkness of Bogo's office, surprised. Normally he was in at this time. He slowly and silently grabbed the edge of the hole, lowering himself until he could slowly bring his legs towards the floor, silently dropping onto his back paws. Judy did the same when he motioned her.  
"There's nobody here." He said, both freezing when the door suddenly opened. There stood Bogo and Clawhauser, Nick only knowing it was Clawhauser because he saw the tail. There were no other cheetahs in the ZPD.  
"Hopps. Are you sure you don't want to be promoted to inspector? You've managed to put together two things within seconds of finding something out." Bogo asked playfully, as if trying to make Judy forget why she'd come.  
"Look, chief. She made me wake up and come with her because of something Clawhauser said, so I'm pretty pissed right now. Had good dreams for the first time in a long while, so I just want some answers." Nick said, Judy blinking. She had been hoping to be a little more tactful with her interrogation, but she supposed this would work.  
Bogo visibly prepared himself for the outburst he thought he knew would be coming.  
"So, if your response to what Clawhauser accidentally revealed is any indication, Nick told you how he joined the Brotherhood." Bogo started, earning a nod from Judy while she held the same face she had when they had threatened to have Duke Weaselton iced. "Well, Nick. What do you think this is about?" Bogo asked, Clawhauser turning to Nick with sadness evident.  
"I don't know. What?" He answered, Bogo snorting lightly at his sarcastic answer.  
"You remember when you were saved from that Templar by our last Assassin, correct?" Bogo asked, Nick nodding. "Well, he survived." Bogo said, Nick blinking. Nick looked at Clawhauser with shock. "This is him."  
"What." Nick said, blinking as he processed what Bogo was telling him. "You're telling me Clawhauser is the Assassin who saved my life?"  
"No. Well, sort of." A mysterious voice said, Judy and Nick both turning and having Hidden Blades out and pointed at the voice's direction. There, behind Bogo's desk, stood a mammal in full Brotherhood garb, tail swishing in contentment. "I am."  
"But...you bled to death." Nick said, Judy looking at Nick worriedly at the hurt in his voice. He'd thought somebody had died protecting him, and it hurt. Even if he thought he had avenged him, he had still thought the mammal had died because he couldn't protect himself, and he'd been forced to take a life because the mammal had died before his task was complete. Despite his smug persona, Nick was, in Judy's experience, a broken fox who needed somebody to remind them of the good in the world. This only cemented that idea. "I joined the Brotherhood because of what happened. I did it so nobody would have to die to protect me because I'm not strong enough!" Nick shouted, his hurt replaced by anger in a matter of seconds.  
"I didn't want to keep it from you, you know. Knowing you'd have to deal with all the guilt. Alone, with nobody to help you carry the burden. But I had family I needed to reassure. And Bogo wouldn't let me. Said it was a matter of character. If you couldn't deal with it, you couldn't be a Brother." The mammal explained, Nick rounding on Bogo.  
"That's twice, Bogo! How many more times are you going to keep things like this from me!?" He asked, ignoring Clawhauser as he stepped past him.  
Judy, however, didn't. She watched as Ben walked up to the figure, slowly reaching up and removing the hood. When it revealed a cheetah, Clawhauser immediately latched himself to him.  
"Benji, calm down." The cheetah said, Judy blinking in surprise.  
"Are you two.." Judy trailed off, unsure whether she wanted to say family or use the rumors she'd heard around the Precinct about Clawhauser's flamboyancy.  
"Family? Yes, yes we are." The cheetah answered, chuckling when Clawhauser's grip tightened.  
"Nick isn't the only one who didn't know you were alive, it seems." Judy remarked, face passive despite having been ready to kill the cheetah a few minutes ago.  
"No...he wasn't." The cheetah said, finally looking down at Ben lovingly.  
"This has been fun and all, you three, but there's another reason I wanted to see you. Ben just sped up the appointment." Bogo said, Judy ignoring the fact he'd called Clawhauser by his first name.  
"And that would be?" Judy asked, Nick having moved to the other side of the room to pout.  
"We have another target for you. Another lower Templar, but this time she controls weapon shipments." Bogo said, glancing at Nick for a second.  
"That doesn't sound like a lower Templar." Judy said, Bogo clapping once, but loudly.  
"Bingo. Surprisingly, however, she's listed as such in the web we've been deconstructing." Bogo said, Judy arching an eyebrow.  
"Talk about surprising." She muttered, looking at Nick and meeting his gaze. "Let's go." She ordered, walking past Bogo and hopping up onto the railing of the ledge, then jumping and turning, parkouring down to the floor. The cheetah arched an eyebrow in a silent question at Bogo when Nick followed Judy.  
"Go." Bogo said, the cheetah detaching himself from Clawhauser.  
"Sorry Benji. Gotta go." He said, running out of the office before Ben could argue and leaping over the ledge, rolling when he landed and running out the door after the rabbit and fox.  
When he caught up, he was surprised to see the looks he was getting from Judy, who sat on a crate in an alleyway. Nick was busy looking at the buildings they were between for ways up.  
"Yes?" He asked, Nick twitching an ear in his direction, but otherwise remaining turned away.  
"Nothing." Judy answered, hopping off the crate and walking to stand by Nick, before tapping him and pointing at a point on the wall. Nick nodded and walked over to the wall, then turned and leaned down, placing his paws together near the ground while Judy backed away to stand next to the cheetah.  
"What are you doing?" He asked, looking confused.  
"Try and keep up." Judy said, leaving a confused cheetah as she took off at Nick and leapt, hind paws landing in his front paws and sailing upwards as Nick heaved, sending her up and high enough to grab a pawhold on the side of the building.  
"See ya later." Nick said, raising his gauntlet and firing something with a muffled _pshh_ as something sunk into the edge of the roof, Nick being pulled upwards.  
"What just happened?" The cheetah asked, blinking a few times before shaking his head and looking around. He saw a fire escape and ran for it, wishing he hadn't been left out on getting upgraded gear during his recovery.  
When he finally reached the roof, he found a fox and rabbit waiting patiently, as if he hadn't spent the last five minutes trying to climb a rusted and rickety fire escape.  
"What took you so long?" Judy asked, though slightly sarcastically, as he tried to catch his breath.  
"How did...how did Nick get up here so quick? What was that thing?" He asked, finally able to raise himself to a stand from his hunched over position.  
"You mean the Rope Launcher? You should have one." Nick said, shaking his wrist as though it was asleep or hurting.  
"Never heard of it." The cheetah said, Nick looking surprised. "I was recovering from a stab that, by all accounts and medical statistics, should have killed me. Fourteen years it took me to wake up from a self-induced coma. Give me a break if I don't know all the fancy new tech we have." He said, annoyed that they would assume he knew what advancements the Brotherhood had made.  
"It's been with the Brotherhood since the Industrial Revolution..." Judy trailed off, raising her gauntlet and swiping over it. A blue screen appeared, the Cheetah blinking in surprise. "Danny." She said, lowering her wrist, the screen disappearing.  
"Danny Clawhauser?" Nick asked, clearly struggling not to laugh.  
"It's not that weird sounding." The cheetah said, crossing his arms in indignation.  
"No, it's just I'd have figured that your name would be...well, different. Benjamin is a normal name, so I'd have figured that a brother would have a not-so-common name." Nick said, having swallowed the laugh.  
"I'll agree with Nick there. Though, honestly, I can't really say anything. Two-hundred and seventy-five brothers and sisters and somehow we all have common names. My parents must have searched for hours to find common names that start with a J, considering a lot of my brothers and sisters have names that start with it." Judy said, examining her paw as if seeing if her claw length was satisfactory.  
"Are we going, or are we gonna start talking about ancestors too?" Danny asked, Judy smirking at him.  
"Try-" Judy started, frowning when Danny held up a paw.  
"To keep up. Yeah, got it." Danny said, looking at Judy and bending over, placing his paws on his knees. "I could say the same." He added, winking at her and running off towards the Rainforest District. Judy stared after him, Nick coming to stand next to her.  
"Think he'll realize the target is in Tundra Town?" Nick asked, Judy looking like she was thinking about it.  
"Give him a second." She said, her gauntlet beeping. She looked at it. "Seems he realized his gauntlet was updated. Just asked where the target was. Should I tell him?" She asked, looking at Nick. He shook his head.  
"Just give him a hint." He said, Judy nodding in approval. Nothing like messing with the new guy.  
"Wrong way." She breathed out as she typed it, sending it and closing the menu. She looked to her right. "It would seem our ride is here." She said, aiming her Rope Launcher and firing it as the mag-lev came into view. Nick waited for a second or two before doing the same.

 _One hour later_

Judy landed and rolled, looking around. Nick joined her only a heartbeat later, both rising to be back to back.  
"Clear." Nick said, Judy nodding and detaching her back from his, silently moving to an alleyway before looking upwards questionably.  
"Go." Judy ordered, both of them firing their Rope Launchers at the same time.  
They waited on the roof for up to thirty minutes before Judy got another message from Danny.  
"He says to catch." Judy said, Nick tilting his head, looking confused. Judy raised her paw and caught a blade attached to a chain inches from her head. "Too slow." She said, a groan coming from behind Nick. She let the knife go and Nick watched it sail past his head and into the hands of the third wheel in this mission. Also the Assassin who apparently saved his life fourteen years ago.  
"Hey Danny. What took ya so long?" Nick asked, smug grin in place.  
"Train is cheating." He said, walking past Nick. "Are we going?" He asked, looking at Judy.  
"Yeah. Just waiting on your slow tail." She said, Danny frowning.  
"You two keep using things to make yourselves faster. That's hardly fair." Danny said, crossing his arms.  
"You could have asked Bogo for a gear upgrade, you know." Judy reminded him, Danny holding up his left bracer. "That's mandatory now, in case one of us gets in a bind and needs help." She explained, rolling her eyes. "Did you even ask Bogo what changes we've made in fourteen years?" She asked, now worried he'd be a hindrance.  
"I pulled worse missions with base gear before." Danny retorted, Nick narrowing his eyes at his tone.  
"And you're still a Novice!" Judy shouted, Danny baring his teeth for a few seconds.  
"And you've only been an Assassin for a year!" He shouted back, Judy's foot thumping for a few seconds in anger.  
"And I'm already a Veterano!" Judy shouted, Danny blinking in shock.  
"And what's Nick!?" He asked, shaking his head to clear his shock.  
"Maestro." Nick answered, Judy relishing in Danny's shocked expression.  
"How? Bogo told me your contract two days ago was the first since I rescued Nick." Danny said, no longer shouting in his surprise.  
"I've been feeding information to the Brotherhood whenever I could. Some valuable info has come through my paws. Saved a few lives wth some of the things I learned. Judy's proved herself through her police work. Bogo's used that as a substitute for now. She fully deserves the rank, too." Nick answered, Danny grumbling something unintelligible. "Tonight is your chance to prove you can rise too." Nick said, Danny nodding quietly, evidently numb from the information he'd learned.  
"This has been great and all, but the target isn't going to be here all night. We need to move, now." Judy suddenly said, turning in the direction of the Tundra Town Docks. "You still got a spare around here, right Nick?" She asked, Nick nodding and turning around. He walked a few paces before squatting down. He stayed that way for a few moments before he lowered his paw and brushed it across the roof, then stopping. He unsheathed his nails, wedging them into an almost imperceptible crack. He lifted, a square of roof coming away and revealing a small hole. He reached in and pulled something out, tossing it to Danny.  
"What is this?" He asked, looking at Judy with a confused expression while Nick put the square of roof back.  
"Rope Launcher. Rated for something as large as Bogo." She answered, Danny looking at his bracer and the Rope Launcher, unsure out to attach it. Judy rolled her eyes "Here." She said, taking it from him and grabbing his forearm. She attached the Rope Launcher to his bracer, then showed him how to work it and change it from Retract, Hang, Line, and Descent modes.  
"What's Line mode do?" He asked, Judy raising her bracer in response, firing her Rope Launcher. When the front hook buried itself into a target, a second hook fired from the back end of the bracer, burying itself into a ledge behind her.  
"That." She said, tapping a button on her bracer, making the lines retract and whip back into their respective slots.  
"Impressive." He remarked, Nick walking up.  
"Wanna see something cooler?" He asked, Danny shrugging. Nick extended his arm, flicking his wrist. Two short limbs flicked outward, a string coming into view, leading to the back end of the Hidden Blade. "Phantom Blade." He said, seeing the question form on Danny's lips. He flicked his wrist again, the limbs retracting. "Good for assassinations from the shadows." He remarked, following Judy's gaze.  
"Lot's of warehouses there." Danny said, looking at Nick over Judy's head.  
"Plenty of shadows too." Nick said, Judy's head tilting downward slightly.  
"Well then, what are we waiting for?" She asked, walking forward and aiming her Rope Launcher. She fired, the hook sinking into a roof a meter lower than the roof they were on. She leapt, grabbing the rope and holding on as she raced down the rope, Nick doing the same. Danny fiddled with his for a second, a frown on his lips as he wondered how he fired it. When it fired suddenly, he was surprised into standing there. After a few seconds of silence, he shrugged and mirrored Judy and Nick's actions.  
When they were outside the gates of the Tundra Town Docks, Judy and Nick looked at each other, then to Danny.  
"How do we get over?" Nick asked, Danny tilting his head. He reached out to touch the fence when Judy smacked his paw.  
"Without touching it." She added, Danny frowning. He looked around, eyes settling on a car a few meters away.  
"Either one of you know how to hotwire a car?" He asked, both him and Judy looking at Nick.  
"Why do you think I know how to hotwire a car? I hustled mammals, I didn't steal cars or anything." He said, Judy crossing her arms. Nick sighed. "Fine." He said, walking towards the car, muttering something about bunnies and bribery by cuteness.  
After a few minutes, Nick managed to hotwire the car and looked at Danny, silently asking him what he wanted him to do now.  
"Back it up to the fence." He said, Nick complying. When it was almost touching the fence, he motioned him to stop. Nick got out of the car and looked at Judy questionably.  
Danny walked away from the car for about fifty steps, then turned.  
"I think I know how he's getting in." Nick said, Judy looking at him. When she looked back at Danny, he was only feet away from the car. He leapt, landing on the hood, then hopped up onto the roof. He leapt again, clearing the fence and fired his Rope Launcher, the hook latching onto the nearest building and reeling him up onto the roof.  
"Huh." Judy said, a surprised look upon her face. She turned to Nick. "We going?" She asked, Nick nodding as they started away from the car.  
They stopped and turned, Judy looking at Nick.  
"Ladies first." He said, Judy scoffing.  
"Your armor's heavier. If you get stuck, I'll be better suited to help you from this side." She said, Nick staring at her for a few seconds with a blank expression. Finally, he shrugged and rolled his shoulders.  
"Fair enough." He said, starting towards the car. He cleared the fence, firing his Rope Launcher onto a crane a little bit farther from the fence. Judy searched for another building or otherwise for her to reel to before settling for a ground approach. She started for the car, clearing the fence with ease and landing, rolling into a defensive position.  
Her bracer beeped, Judy raising it.  
'Warehouse. South side. OoI' The message from Nick read, Judy turning to face South and starting in the direction of the lone warehouse. She wondered what the Objects of Interest were Nick was reporting. She heard the quiet _pshh_ of a Rope Launcher firing and saw two hooks imbed into the roof of the warehouse. Nick and Danny came sailing down the lines, pulling themselves up onto the roof and reeling in the lines. They both ran over to a glass roof, crouching next to it.  
Judy placed her back against the warehouse door, lifting her bracer.  
'Clear?' She asked, waiting for his message of confirmation. When it came, she looked around once more before replying. 'Enter.' She ordered, silently opening the door and quickly entering, closing it. She sees Nick and Danny slowly lowering themselves with their Rope Launchers' Descent modes, and when they touched down she rushed over to join them, the three getting into as much of a back to back position as they could, each scanning the building with the Sense again, just to be safe. When they used their normal vision again, they were surprised to see multiple red lasers slicing through the air, all pointed at them.  
"It would seem we've been played." Danny said, Judy shushing him.  
"More likely, they saw us when we did the whole thing with the car." Nick said, discreetly setting his Rope Launcher to Retract mode. Danny and Judy did the same.  
"Well, well, well. Seems I've caught the last Assassins this city has to offer unawares! How wonderful!"

 **Alright, that does it for Chapter One of Assassins of Zootopia/Zootopian Assassins. I hope you guys enjoyed, because it was fun to write. I was gonna have a fight scene in this chapter, despite my promise, but I managed to not do that via friendly competition and other things. I was going to introduce Danny by having him fight Judy and Nick, but decided against that. Next chapter I'm going to try to make the Contract take up at most half the chapter, but maybe more if I can figure out how. Also, hope you guys like the character of Danny Clawhauser, though you don't have to. I literally came up with him on the spot and added the Loadouts afterwards when I typed the part about him receiving the Rope Launcher. I hope you guys are okay with the fact I've given the bracers a sort of futuristic upgrade with the Projected Messages feature, since I, like most of my plot, made it up on the spot. Hey that rhymed. Also, I recently discovered that the song Criminal by Britney Spears fits WildeHopps pretty much perfectly. The version uploaded by WildeForAMVs on Youtube is absolutely incredible and I suggest you check it out. Another song I'll suggest that I think fits their relationship is DNA, though I forget who made it, but I think it's a Nightcore version. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter, and I'll see you guys...next update. Word Count: 5,465**


	3. Contract Status: Complete

**Hey guys Price here and welcome to Chapter Two of Assassins of Zootopia/Zootopian Assassins! I hope you guys enjoyed last chapter because here comes dat murder oh crap waddup! Sorry...I shouldn't meme. But yeah, as promised, this chapter will be mostly the Contract. Well, hopefully anyway. And yes, if you caught the fact Nick accompanies Judy into the Shroud's chamber, you know Danny will be playing the part of Henry. Minus the kiss and love confession, of course. No love triangles in this story. That's for my SavageWildeHopps story I wanna write. And yes, it will be all three, not just two of them. So, in case you couldn't tell, I write an Omniscient POV style unless otherwise stated. That means that I can be writing from the POV of Judy, and then I could randomly switch to Nick or Danny or any other characters I make for this story. I'm saying this more to warn new readers in case they or you get disorientated by me randomly switching POVs. Anyway, I think it's time to get.** **..onto the story!**

 **Loadouts**

 **J: Normal Hidden Blade on left paw; ACIII Hidden blade on right paw; Short Sword on back; Rope Launcher on left bracer; Five Flash Grenades; Fifteen Smoke Grenades; Thirty Throwing Knives throughout her mammal; Pouch for Lock Picks on left side; Pouch for broken Lock Picks on right side; Hidden Boot Blades on both heels and front of her boots; Collapsible Baton for capture missions; Plastic Explosives; Light Armor**

 **N: Unity Phantom Blade on left paw, Normal Hidden Blade on right paw; Rope Launcher on right bracer; Collapsible Tomahawks on both thighs((think Innie Leader's Tomahawks from Red vs Blue Season 10)); Twenty Throwing Knives throughout his mammal; Twenty Smoke Grenades; Collapsible Baton for capture missions; Medium Armor**

 **D: Normal Hidden Blade on both paws; Rope Launcher on left bracer; Thirty Throwing Knives throughout his mammal; Five Cherry Bombs; Rope Dart; Kyoketsu Shogei((Ninja Assassin version)); No Armor**

"Well, well, well. Seems I've caught the last Assassins this city has to offer unawares! How wonderful!" A voice shouted, Judy looking around. They were surrounded. She tried her Sense, and found that there were at least fifty mammals that were within range. She counted at least twice that many lasers.

"We're surrounded." She whispered, Nick and Danny not even bothering to say anything or move to acknowledge the comment.

"I honestly expected more of a challenge! You three disappoint me!" The voice continued, Judy looking around.

"Get ready." She breathed, two paws lightly shuffling and tapping her legs, signaling they were ready. "Now." She ordered, the three of them firing their Rope Launchers at the same time. They were reeled upwards towards the skylight as the voice gave the order to fire, bullets filling the space where they had just been. They burst through glass, grabbing the edge of the skylight and swinging themselves onto the roof.

"That was close." Nick said, Danny daring to look over the edge of the Skylight and into the warehouse. The sound of gunfire filled the warehouse as he ducked back away from the edge, looking at Judy harshly.

"What?" She asked, looking at Danny with a confused expression.

Danny snorted, as if aggravated by her question.

"For a Veterano, you sure do make plenty of Novice level mistakes." He answered, Judy blinking in shock. Before she had a chance to respond, Danny doubled over with a gasp as Nick drove a knee into his stomach. The punch came immediately after, sending Danny to the ground.

"You have very little room to talk, Danny." Nick growled, lifting Danny's head up by his head fur. "You didn't even think to make sure your gear was upgraded. That's strike one. You didn't bother to familiarize yourself with any of the new gear we have, increasing the risk of you not being able to escape if we need to use gear you didn't have. That's strike two. And whoopsie number threesie, you didn't even bother to think about the fact you owe her your life before you judged her." He growled, clearly restraining himself.

"Nick, it's fine. He's right. I didn't think to check for a possible ambush." Judy said, disturbed by how angry he was.

"It's not fine, Judy. He's being an ungrateful little dick, and I won't be having him speak to you like that." Nick retorted, Danny looking confused.

"Wait...are you two...a thing?" He asked, the blow from Nick's knee leaving him barely able to speak.

"Whether we are or are not together is none of your business. Now apologize." Nick said, Danny looking momentarily scared at the edge in Nick's voice.

"You didn't answer my question." He said, Nick grabbing him by the throat and lifting him up to be muzzle level.

"I don't need a Night Howler to go Savage, Danny. So I won't ask you again. **Apologize**." He ordered, slipping in some Vulpine at the end in his anger. He must have realized it when Danny looked confused, because he repeated it in the Common language.

"Sorry, Judy." Danny grunted out, Nick narrowing his eyes slightly before letting Danny go.

"Good. Now, what are we going to do about those guys?" Nick asked, turning to Judy. He may technically outrank her here, but he deferred to her. She was used to being able to order him around, and it would throw them off if she was forced to obey him for, even for a short amount of time.

"Well, I've got these." She said, holding up two brick-shaped objects.

"Are those...plastic explosives?" Danny asked, blinking.

"Oh yeah." Judy answered, grinning slightly.

"Well, what are you waiting for, Carrots? Let 'em fly." Nick said, Judy tearing off a small piece and planting a transmitter in it. She attached the hook of her Rope Launcher to the roof and leapt off the side, sticking it to the side of the building. She reeled herself back up to the roof, doing the same on another side, and one on the door.

"Charges set. Let's do this." Judy said, pressing the detonator. The three pieces exploded, leaving gaping holes in the structure. Nick and Danny were above the holes on the sides, and Judy stood crouched at a safe distance from the door. Nick and Danny threw smoke grenades into the holes, Judy throwing in a flashbang with her smoke.

They entered the building, Judy ducking under a swipe of a paw. She unsheathed her Hidden Blade on her right paw, tilting it to the left and stabbing it into the chest of the mammal that had tried to hit her. She pulled it out and rolled to the side, sliding the blade across another mammal's throat as she stood, barely dodging the small spray of blood.

"Kill them! Do not hesitate!" The voice ordered, Nick sliding under a paw swipe, then leaping onto the mammal's neck and stabbing it at the base of it's skull, leaping off as it collapsed. He turned to find a pistol pointed at his head, close enough to kill him instantly but far enough away that he wouldn't be able to move out of the way or rush forward and swipe it aside

Danny came out of the shadows to their right, extending his Hidden Blade and sliding the point across the mammal's throat, sliding under their extended arm. He leaped into the air, twisting around and kicking the mammal's face, sending them skidding across the floor for a good six or seven feet.

"Thanks." Nick said, dipping his head slightly.

"I'd rather not face the wrath of your girlfriend." Danny remarked, ducking an attempted punch and sliding a curved blade attached to a chain from a sheath on his belt, wrapping the chain around the arm and pulling the mammal up close. He sliced open the throat of the mammal, then spinning and kicking the mammal away. "Besides. I'm better with a ranged weapon and I don't fancy my chances of beating her in close combat." He added, nodding to Nick as he leapt into the middle of a large group of Templar soldiers, swinging the blade around and through the soldiers with a practiced ease that defied what Nick would've thought he could do.

"Remind me not to piss him off." Nick muttered to himself, stabbing a Templar soldier as the mammal charged him, then lifting them up and slamming them onto the ground.

He turned to see a mammal charging him. He raised his left arm, preparing to fire his Phantom Blade, when a chain wrapped itself around the mammal's throat. The mammal jerked to a stop, the mammal's head snapping back with a crack as the chain was jerked on, the chain coming loose as the mammal collapsed, dead.

"What is happening!? Somebody answer me!" The voice ordered, Danny watching as a lion fumbled with a radio on his belt.

"We're taking heavy casualties! We need ba-" the mammal stopped as a blade sunk into his neck, gurgling as Danny pulled on the chain, the blade coming loose and into his hand. He picked up the radio.

"Hey, sorry to interrupt. Seems like the other guy is busy." He said, hearing, to his satisfaction, a muffled shout of surprise on the other end. He turned, noticing three mammals charging him. "Oh. Seems I am too." He muttered, dropping the radio and letting the blade hang, slowly swinging it in a circle to his right. He quickly built up speed.

The first mammal reached him quickly, Danny leaping up and over, letting the blade fly and watching as it disappeared into the mammal's back. The mammal collapsed, dead, as the blade separated his spine. He barely dodged a paw swipe from the second mammal, wrapping the chain around the arm and moving behind the mammal. He yanked on the chain, bringing the mammal's arm back, resulting in the blade coming free from the other mammal's back. Danny ducked as the blade flew past his head, embedding itself into the skull of the third mammal. He reached back and grabbed the chain, then leaping up and pulling on the chain, pulling the second mammal closer as the blade came free. It sank into the mammal's chest, twitching slightly as the mammal's heart beat once, twice, then stilled.

He turned from his handiwork to see Nick and Judy deftly and disturbingly easily holding their own against a mob of ten Templar soldiers.

Judy ducked under a punch, then grabbed the arm. She yanked on it, pulling the mammal closer and sliding her Hidden Blade across it's throat, opening it as blood sprayed outward.

Nick dodged to the side as a mammal thrust a knife at him, gripping the wrist and twisting. The knife clattered to the ground as the mammal's wrist snapped, Nick sliding his Hidden Blade into the mammal's throat.

Danny leaped into the fray, both Judy and Nick ducking as he swept his Kyoketsu Shogei in a wide circle, opening up the throats of all but one of the mammals.

Judy ran forward, Nick at her side as they kicked the mammal's legs out from under them. Danny jumped and spun, kicking the mammal's head back with enough force to snap the mammal's neck.

"I think...I think that's all of them." Danny said, panting lightly.

"It would appear so." Nick said, the three of them spinning at the sound of metal banging. "I stand corrected." He said, watching as at least fifty mammals rushed into the building.

"This'll be easy." Judy said, stepping forward. The effect was immediate. The mammals ran forward, Judy ducking under a swipe and sinking her right Hidden Blade into the mammal's chest, ripping it to the side and out as she spun, driving it into the throat of another mammal.

"Look out!" Danny shouted, Judy ducking as his Kyoketsu Shogei flew over her, sinking into a skull and killing a mammal as it charged her. She turned and saluted him gratefully, Danny nodding lightly in response. He jerked the chain, dashing past Judy and leaping, spinning and flinging the blade through the air, taking off paws and the occasional head.

They continued killing the mammals for roughly thirty more seconds, Nick only receiving a minor cut on the arm from Danny when he overextended his chain.

"I thought you were good with that thing." Nick snarked, glaring at Danny as he wrapped a small rope of gauze around the cut.

"I am." Danny retorted, Judy perking up. She'd have to intervene if this continued. For now though, she was content to watch. "But in the heat of battle, even a pro can mess up. It's inevitable." Danny finished, Nick glaring at him before switching his gaze to Judy for a second before it went back to Danny.

"Just make sure you don't hit _her_. I'd rather not have to explain away your death from what looks like a Hidden Blade." Nick said, Danny pausing at the threat. He remained silent for a few seconds longer, trying to rationalize what Nick had said.

"Of course." Danny said, disturbed by Nick's threat. He didn't let it show, but it was evident to the Fox and Bunny, if their smirks were any indication.

"Alright. We need to find our target, kill them, then get out." Judy said, looking at Nick briefly. "Nick, you search the other end. Danny, you have the bodies." She said, Nick looking confused.

"Where do you have?" Danny asked, voicing Nick's question first.

"The second floor office." She answered, both Nick and Danny looking up. They deadpanned, wondering how they could have missed the room. "Talk later." Judy said, firing her Rope Launcher and climbing over the railing. Not even a second later she came flying back over, hitting the floor and skidding, coming to a stop.

"Found em?" Danny asked, Judy looking at him with a glare.

"Found em." She answered, looking at Nick, who had yet to begin his search. "You guys knew, didn't you?" She asked, paws going to her hips.

"It was kind of obvious." Nick answered, Judy scowling.

"Would've been helpful to know he was a Rhino, though." Judy said, Nick shrugging. He aimed his Rope Launcher.

"Well? You two coming?" He asked, Judy and Danny raising their Rope Launchers in response. They fired, Judy and Nick kicking off the bottom edge of the second floor, flipping over the railing. Danny simply pulled himself up and over.

"Showoff's." He said, earning sarcastically fake smiles of innocence. "Whatever."

"Let's just get the Rhino." Nick said, walking forward. Judy stopped him, holding up a flashbang.

"Let's get lit." She said, Nick smiling at her use of the phrase.

"Ladies first." He said, hefting a Smoke Grenade. Judy nodded and kicked in the door, throwing her flashbang in. She stepped to the side as it detonated, then Nick threw in his Smoke Grenade.

"Seriously? 'Let's get lit'?" Danny asked, surprised to hear something like that from the small gray Bunny in front of him.

"It's a Smoke Grenade joke." Nick answered, Danny blinking.

"I got that. But you couldn't make up something else?" He asked, Judy shrugging and running into the room.

"Don't question us, Novice." Nick said, although playfully, like he was sharing an in-joke with a friend. He ran into the room, leaving Danny standing there.

"Okay..." Danny muttered, shrugging and following them in. When the smoke cleared, he was surprised to see Judy and Nick pinned by the Rhino, though he had his back to him. He silently hefted his Kyoketsu Shogei, then threw it. The Rhino spun suddenly, holding Judy up in front of him. Two things happened in the span of five seconds.

First, Nick's eyes went wide, before turning into slits. He sank his teeth into the Rhino's hand, growling menacingly. Two, the Rhino turned as he yelled in pain, Danny's Kyoketsu Shogei digging itself into his back as he turned. Danny took the opportunity and dashed forward. He wasn't expecting the Rhino to turn and drop Judy, catching him by his throat. He gasped, pawing at the paw that held him.

"You're going to regret coming here." The Rhino growled out, Danny kicking desperately with his legs. His foot hit one of Judy's flashbangs, and he wrapped his tail around it. He lifted it quickly and pulled the pin as the Rhino opened his mouth to say something. He shoved the flashbang into his mouth, grabbing Judy and Nick as he was dropped. He leapt out the window, shattering it and firing his Rope Launcher, pulling himself and the Bunny and Fox duo out of the hole he'd made. He heard a muffled _whump_ as the flashbang detonated, a large thud following it.

"If you can hear me, stay here." Danny said, placing them down and firing his Rope Launcher, descending slwoly into the warehouse. He swung, retracting the wire and going into the room. He blinked at the destruction the flashbang had caused. There was skull fragments and brain matter everywhere. He shuddered as he realized that, eventually, somebody would have to come in and clean this up. He soaked a feather with blood and left, surprised to find Judy and Nick talking.

"I'm just saying I don't like how much we were at the mercy of that Rhino so easily. We need better gear." Nick all but pleaded, Judy crossing her arms.

"And I said, we have the best gear Bogo's been able to make for us. It would be different if we had a full Brotherhood and had an actual R&D Department, but we don't, so therefore we have to make do with what we have. I wish we could get better gear too Nick, but the truth of the matter is, much like London in the Industrial Revolution, the rest of the Brotherhood seems to have given up on Zootopia." Judy said, Nick's ears flattening against his skull at that. "And if that's true, then there's nothing we can do but our best." She finished, Danny blinking at the defeat in her tone. She seemed about ready to give up to, if that tone meant anything.

"It's not that the Brotherhood has given up, Judy. We're the last four Assassins in this hemisphere." Danny said, both Judy and Nick looking at him in shock.

"Well, then we need to build it up again. Prove that we aren't done. The Templars have a hold in this city, but if there's anything I know about myself, it's that I don't know when to quit. And if there's anything I know about Nick, it's that he cares too much to give up." Judy said, Danny actually snorting at that.

"Okay, first of all, I don't think Nick cares about this city all that much. Second of all, this isn't ancient Rome Judy! There's no oppression going on here! There is nothing we can do to make citizens join the Brotherhood beyond threats. And a Brotherhood built on distrust would fall apart faster than you could even build it." He all but shouted, shrinking back when Judy gained a smirk on her face.

"No oppression, huh?" She asked, Nick gaining a surprised face. "What about the Preds? I'm sure we could get a few volunteers who would love to get back at their tormentors. It also just so happens that, as far as we know, all the Templars in this city are Prey. I say if we can't find anyone willing to join, we have to make an oppression. Nothing too serious that would instigate full on riots or anything, but serious enough to make mammals susceptible to joining us." She said, Danny blinking in shock. That sounded an awful lot like a thought through plan.

"Carrots, I swear if this guy wasn't here I would-" Nick stopped when Judy held up a paw, her eyes half-lidded.

"Later." She promised, Nick nodding meekly.

"Yes, Carrots." He said, Danny arching an eyebrow. He raised his paw and made a whipping motion, making the sound and everything.

"I have never seen a mammal so...you know, in my life. It's amazing." He remarked, earning a genuine laugh out of Nick.

"Am I? Yes. Yes I am. And I wouldn't have it any other way." Nick said, Danny tilting his head.

"I'm enjoying this, but we should go. Bogo will be wanting a report. You get a memory share?" Judy asked, looking at Danny.

"You ever seen a watermelon hit with a grenade?" Danny asked, Nick arching an eyebrow.

"Yes." Judy answered, matter-of-factly. Danny faltered at how fast she answered.

"Apparently, flashbangs have the same effect on heads." Danny remarked, earning a disgusted groan from Nick.

"I so pity the cleanup crew." Nick muttered, Judy laughing at that.

"No you don't." She said, earning a nod and hum of confirmation from Nick. She nodded once at Danny, then aimed and fired her Rope Launcher. The hook connected, the back end firing into the skylight's frame. She leapt, then pulled herself along, only stopping to look back and nick and Danny.

"How's your balance?" She asked, Dany gaining a horrified expression at the question. Nick looked at Danny once before taking off, bounding across the rope like it was a steel cable being held still by paws every few feet.

"Yeah...no." Danny said, firing his Rope Launcher and leaping, pulling himself along the rope. When they arrived at the building they'd fired at, they retracted their ropes, Judy's hook whipping back and slicing Danny across the thigh.

"Ow!" He said, looking at Judy indignantly.

"Oops. Sorry." She said, shrugging with an incredibly fake apologetic look on her face.

"Right." Danny said, turning around and running towards the train tracks. If they were going to be children about this whole thing, he'd have to do something drastic.

 **Two hours later, Precinct One, Bogo's office**

Judy stood at attention in front of Bogo's desk next to Danny, Nick nonchalantly leaning against the wall and inspecting his claws.

"Report, Hopps." He said, Judy nodding and stepping forward.

"Target is dead, sir. We were ambushed and had to take down quite a few Templar soldiers, but we encountered no other outside resistance. When we confronted the Templar, he overpowered us. Danny managed to avoid being caught by waiting to enter. We eventually managed to kill the Templar, but Danny had to resort to a rather messy alternative to our normal method. He shoved a flashbang into the Templar's mouth sir." She explained, Bogo groaning.

"I'd chastise you on making a mess of things, but, from your explanation, there was no other choice. I'll let it slide for now." He said, looking at Nick with a short glare. "Dismissed." He added, waving his paw. Judy nodded and turned to walk out the door, Nick joining her.

"Sir, I'd like to report a violation of the Workplace Fraternization Policy." Danny suddenly said, Judy and Nick freezing. Bogo seemed to pick up on their thoughts, because he turned to Danny.

"Wilde, Hopps, if you would." He said, gesturing to the door. They nodded and left, Bogo turning back to Danny. "I see no such violation of said policy existing in this building." He said, Danny blinking.

"But-" He insisted, stopping when Bogo held up a paw.

"I'm going to tell you the truth, Danny. Everyone, and I do mean everyone, in this Precinct has been betting on those two getting together since the first day Wilde worked here." He paused, gesturing towards the door. "As long as it affects the workplace positively, I have no problem with it." He finished, Danny looking down at the ground. He sighed.

"At least tell them not to talk about it around me." He said, Bogo's nose flaring.

"Are you disgusted by it, Danny?" He asked, Danny blinking in surprise.

"No, of course not! I just get uncomfortable hearing others talk about their more...private aspects of relationships." He explained, Bogo staring at him for a few seconds.

"Very well. I can't promise they'll listen, especially not Wilde, but I'll ask." He said, Danny nodding his thanks. He turned to leave, stopping as he reached for the door.

"One more thing, sir. When I tried to use my Kyoketsu Shogei on the Templar, he tried to use Judy as a shield. Nick...went savage, sir. His eyes turned into slits and he bit the Templar's hand. It's a good thing too, sir. If he hadn't, I would've killed Hopps." He said, Bogo nodding.

"I appreciate the information." Bogo said, waving him out.

"We'll talk later, correct?" Danny asked, standing under the vent to the roof now.

"Yes. Right now, you've given me a lot to think about." Bogo answered, Danny nodding and leaping up, climbing onto the roof.

Danny fired his Rope Launcher, leaping off the roof. His Rope Launcher let out line as he descended towards the ground. When he touched down, he hid next to a small group of bushes. He lifted his bracer, the holographic interface coming to life.

 _'We need to talk.'_ He typed, sending it to Judy. She seemed to be the more rational of the two, if not the most level-headed. He wasn't expecting the response he got.

 _'Go to hell, Daniel.'_ Ouch. Real name.

 _'Let me explain.'_ He typed, still surprised by her answer.

 _'...*Sigh* Fine.'_ Judy typed, Danny smiling lightly. His guess seemed to be correct

 _'Thank you. Your place?'_ He asked, wondering if that was the best place.

 _'Do you_ want _to die?'_ Judy asked, Danny cringing slightly. Right. Nick.

 _'...Fair enough. Building where Gazelle had her concert after the NH issue?'_ He asked, pretty sure he could have worded that better, if he could remember the building's name.

 _'That works. Give me some extra time, need to get clean.'_ She typed, Danny arching both eyebrows at that.

 _'That was fast.'_ He typed, chuckling.

 _'Normally it's longer. We were too stressed though.'_ She typed, Danny wincing at the words.

 _'Didn't really want to know that, but thanks.'_ He typed, huffing. Realizing how that could sound, he hurriedly typed another message. _'Sarcasm on that last part.'_

 _'Kinda figured as much. Talk later.'_ Judy typed, Danny nodding to himself and closing the projection, looking around for mammals. Seeing none, he took off across the street, intending to climb the buildings on the other side of the road.

With a screech, a car came to a halt inches from his waist, Danny leaping back. He took one glance at the driver before taking off again, crossing into the alley and looking around again. Clear. He fired his Rope Launcher, pulling himself up and over the ledge.

He arrived at the designated building in five minutes. He waited for fifteen.

"Took you a bit longer than I thought it would." He remarked, hearing her footsteps. He stood up and turned, not expecting the flying punch that slammed into his muzzle. "I deserved that." He said, another punch hitting his muzzle. "That too." A backhand. "That too." When Judy aimed her next punch below the waist, he stopped her. "Ah ah ah. Maybe not there."

"...Yeah, I suppose you're right." Judy said, sighing. "That felt good, though." She admitted, Danny shrugging.

"Tell that to my jaw."He said, licking his teeth to make sure none were loose.

"Sorry. But anyway, what is it you wanted to talk about?" Judy asked, sticking a hip out as she crossed her arms.

"I'm sorry." He said, Judy blinking.

"What?" She asked, sounding surprised.

"I'm sorry." He repeated, Judy blinking. "I...overreacted." He admitted, Judy staring at him with a glare that would make Bogo hesitate.

"Really? You think?" She asked, Danny taking a step back.

"I'm talking about how you and Nick behaved, not your relationship." He explained, Judy arching an eyebrow. "I could care less if a Bunny and Fox started doing it. I just want professionalism." He said, Judy glaring again.

"Excuse me?" She asked, Danny feeling ready to crawl inside himself and disappear out of existence. He never was good at apologizing. Add in glaring from a Bunny strong enough to halt a charging Rhino, and you have a recipe for disaster.

"I just don't want to hear about it." He said, flinching when Judy unfolded her arms and stepping forward. "It just makes me uncomfortable is all." He explained, Judy pausing.

"Danny?" She asked, Danny not liking the tone.

"Yes, Judy?"

"Are you a...you know?" She asked, gesturing at the area she'd tried to hit earlier.

"...Maybe." He answered, Judy rolling her eyes.

"Oh my god." She muttered, sighing. "So, what exactly did you mean by mine and Nick's behavior?" She asked suddenly, Danny sighing.

"Just how light-hearted you were about it. I guess it unnerved me." He said, shrugging.

"You were unnerved by the fact me and Nick can still have playful banter after you blew up the head of our contract." Judy said, Danny nodding.

"More or less." He said, Judy shrugging.

"We just...aren't bothered by our job. It's just exterminating a pest, really." She said, Danny snorting.

"Yeah, except this pest has teeth and claws." He said, Judy looking at him expectantly. "And guns." He added, Judy nodding once.

"I'll pass this on to Nick. You may need to apologize yourself though." She said, Danny nodding once in confirmation.

"See you whenever." He said, looking up at the sound of rotors. He aimed and fired his Rope Launcher, the hook latching onto the helicopter's landing skids.

"See you whenever." Judy agreed, watching him fly off with the helicopter. "And he calls me and Nick showoffs." She muttered, shaking her head. She aimed and fired her Rope Launcher, leaping when it was secured.

 **Twenty minutes later, the apartment**

Judy entered her and Nick's apartment, rolling her shoulders.

"Have fun?" Nick asked, Judy shrugging.

"It was okay." She said, working to get her Brotherhood clothes off so she could get dressed for bed. Nick stopped her when she reached for her bed clothes.

"I have a better idea." He said, Judy catching the meaning when he picked her up.

"I think I like that idea." She said, smiling.

"Me too." Nick said, closing the door to their bedroom with his foot.

 **Alright and that does it for Chapter Two of Assassins of Zootopia/Zootopian Assassins! I was going to make Danny try to kiss Judy in a heat of the moment thing, but I promised a reviewer no love triangles, so no love triangles. Key word in that last sentence is try. Maybe in a sequel fic, if I make one. Who knows. Certainly not me. But yeah, I very much enjoyed writing this chapter, so I hope it shows. And yes, a flashbang exploding in a skull is actually that messy. Well, a human skull, anyway. I don't know about a Rhino, but a human skull would definitely be destroyed. I asked Quora and everything. Anyway, I've blabbered enough, I'll see you guys...next update. Word Count: 5,280**


	4. Brotherhood

**Hey guys Price here and welcome to Chapter 3 of Zootopian Assassins/Assassins of Zootopia. I intend to make next chapter a more slow chapter, giving some characterization of Danny but also some WildeHopps moments in this one. It'll mainly be Danny's backstory and stuff next chapter, though. I hope you guys like it, because I intend to _try_ and make Danny a three dimensional character. I make no promises, but I'll try. So yeah, I hope you guys won't mind some future plans I have for this story, though I doubt that you'll like some of them. I may be wrong, but it's possible. A reviewer gave me a good idea I intend to run with at some point, though I don't know when. And yes, Danny's real name is Daniel, but everybody calls him Danny. Also, forgot to add a song recommendation to the fight scene last chapter, but just play The Phoenix by Lindsey Stirling, one of my favorite artists ever. This chapter will mainly be dialogue. My _favorite!_ Anyway, that's enough blabbering for now, I think it's time to get...onto the story!**

 **Loadouts**

 **J: Normal Hidden Blade on left paw; ACIII Hidden Blade on right paw; Short Sword on back; Rope Launcher on left bracer; Five Flash Grenades; Fifteen Smoke Grenades; Thirty Throwing Knives throughout her mammal; Pouch for Lock Picks on left side; Pouch for broken Lock Picks on right side; Hidden Boot Blades on both heels and front of her boots; Collapsible Baton for capture missions; Plastic Explosives; Light Armor**

 **N: Unity Phantom Blade on left paw, Normal Hidden Blade on right paw; Rope Launcher on right bracer; Collapsible Tomahawks on both thighs((think Innie Leader's Tomahawks from Red vs Blue Season 10)); Twenty Throwing Knives throughout his mammal; Twenty Smoke Grenades; Collapsible Baton for capture missions; Medium Armor**

 **D: Normal Hidden Blade on both paws; Rope Launcher on left bracer; Thirty Throwing Knives throughout his mammal; Five Cherry Bombs; Rope Dart; Kyoketsu Shogei((Ninja Assassin version)); No Armor**

Danny crouched, perched on the edge of a roof. He ignored the two pairs of footfalls coming up behind him, intent on watching the sunrise in the distance.

"You know, normally I don't wake up at this hour. It's only because Fluff here dragged me that I even came." Nick said, Danny looking over his shoulder at the Fox.

"More likely she threatened no sex." He said, Nick shrugging.

"Hey, it's not _that_ good." He said, earning an eyebrow arch from Judy. "I mean, um...that came out wrong. I meant that it isn't that addicting that I would have to be threatened with none to get out of bed at such an ungodly hour." Nick corrected, Judy seeming satisfied with that answer.

"I repeat my statement from yesterday." Danny said, making a whipping motion with his paw.

"Guilty as charged." Nick said, Judy rolling her eyes at the two of them.

"So, what is it you wanted to talk to us about?" Judy asked, looking at Danny with a raised eyebrow.

"Well, seeing as you're actually awake at such an ungodly hour, I guess we should talk." He answered, giving both Judy and Nick pause at the words.

"I don't think there's anything to talk about." Nick growled out, Judy looking at him with a glare.

"Yes, there is. I want to explain why I said what I said at the very least." Danny said, Nick shrugging like he didn't care.

"I'm still upset you made us get up this early." Nick growled, Danny arching an eyebrow.

"This is literally the roof of your apartment. It's not like I asked to meet you at the top of the huge tower in the middle of the city." Danny retorted, rolling his eyes.

"I'm a Fox that's awake in the daytime. I think I have enough of an excuse to be grumpy." Nick said, Danny shaking his head in an exasperated motion.

"Let's just go inside." Judy said, all three of them walking through the roof's access door and down the steps. They entered the apartment Judy and Nick shared, Danny wrinkling his muzzle at the smell.

"Ugh. Were you two up all night?" He asked, not liking the stench.

"All five hours." Judy answered, Danny's eyes widening.

"I didn't even think that was possible." He said, shaking his head as he realized he was staring.

"Bunny." Nick said simply, like it was the only answer needed.

"Right." Danny said, tapping his head as a signal he'd forgotten that fact. "How could I forget that?"

"You should try it some time." Nick remarked, Danny chuckling.

"Hm. Maybe I will." Danny said, Nick staring in surprise. "What? Something on my face?" He asked, Nick shaking his head.

"No, sorry. You just surprised me, is all." Nick answered, Danny shrugging.

"Never let them see that they get to you." Judy said, walking past Nick and punching him lightly on his arm. He chuckled lightly, waiting for Judy to walk out of sight before rubbing his arm.

"Ow." He said, Danny rolling his eyes.

"I doubt it hurts that much." He said, Nick looking over his shoulder as if to call for Judy. "But, a demonstration won't be necessary. I've been attacked by enough mammals I consider allies for a lifetime." He added, Nick flinching as if struck by his last comment.

"Yeah...sorry about that." He said, rubbing the back of his head.

"I wasn't talking about you." Danny said, walking past Nick.

"...Huh?" Nick asked, looking at Danny questioningly.

"If you behave, I'll tell you later." Danny said, Nick pausing for a moment before shrugging, walking over to the couch. Judy joined him after a few moments, having changed into civvies.

"Nick! Civvies!" She ordered, pointing at what Danny assumed was their bedroom. He shook his head as more...mature thoughts accompanied the realization. Despite being a heavy supporter of interspecies romance, he was uncomfortable thinking of the intimacies said relationships would entail.

"But I just got comfortable in these!" Nick whined, although playfully, Danny smiling lightly. He received a glare, and he wilted like a flower left with no water for a week in the middle of the Savannah district. "Going." He said, standing and walking towards the bedroom.

"No wonder you give the orders." Danny remarked, Judy sharing the glare with him. He just stared back, slowly arching an eyebrow. Eventually, Judy rolled her eyes, muttering something about how she had to deal with two of 'them' now, whoever 'they' were. He assumed she meant it as a friendly joke about how she had to deal with two witty, occasionally sarcastic mammals. Or at least he hoped so.

When Nick returned with his civvie clothes on, Danny sat down in a chair he placed opposite from the couch, the back facing Judy and Nick while he laid his head on his arms, which were crossed over the back of the chair.

"So, as we all know, I said some...pretty detestable things last week." He began, earning a snort from Nick. The Fox got a smack on the arm.

"Let him explain." She said, Nick rolling his eyes lightly.

"Thank you, Judy. To be honest, I'm never going to live it down. Especially after Bogo's question." He said, Nick tilting his head slightly.

"What'd he say?" Nick asked, Danny grimacing at the memories.

"'Are you disgusted by it, Danny?'" He said, using air quotes to show that was what Bogo said. "He's known me for almost twenty-three years, not including the coma, and he thinks I'm disgusted by a little bit of Pred-Prey relations. Please." He said, rolling his eyes.

"You're...thirty seven?" Judy asked, blinking in surprise.

"Forty." Danny answered, Nick staring. "What?" He asked, seemingly curious why they were surprised.

"I...you just don't _look_ forty." Nick said, Danny arching an eyebrow.

"And you don't look thirty three." He retorted, Nick shutting his jaws. "You should know by now this lifestyle ages you less obviously than others." He said, Nick staring for a few seconds.

"Fair enough." He finally said, Judy remaining silent. She seemed to gain a sudden sense of questionable humor, though, because she suddenly smirked.

"He may be thirty three, but that means nothing." She said, Danny's eyes widening at the comment. Nick at least had the decency to look flustered, which was a rarity.

"You're getting bolder." Danny commented, Judy scoffing dramatically.

"I've always been bold. Have to, considering my occupation and my opposition. Though I guess that's kinda different." Judy said, paw tapping her chin in thought. She shrugged, not really thinking over it too hard.

"No argument here." Danny said, Nick finally regaining his indifferent mask.

"So...are you going to continue or do I need to use my knee again?" Nick suddenly asked, Judy glaring at the Fox, a grumble coming from her.

"Nick, he said he was sorry." She said, Nick huffing.

"I didn't hear him." He said, Judy scowling angrily.

"He told me already!" She said, Nick blinking. "Oh..." She mumbled, realizing what she'd said in her anger.

"Why was I not invited to this little apology fest, if that's what it was?" He asked, Judy standing there, seemingly in shock from the insinuation. Danny, however, felt nothing but anger. Said anger manifested itself into a fist to the underside of Nick's jaw, sending the Fox over the couch and onto his back, groaning as he rubbed his snout.

"How **_dare_** you." Danny growled, Nick licking his teeth, as if to make sure they were all firm. "She has been **_nothing_** but **_supporting_** and **_loving_** to you! And I have been **_nothing_** but **_supportive_** of your relationship! So how **_dare_** you insinuate we would do something so **_detestable_**!" He practically shouted, Judy watching from the couch with horror and anger playing across her face.

"Then why would you invite her and not me!?" Nick shouted back, Danny looking incredulous at that.

"Well I'm sorry that I trusted the more **_level-headed_** mammal to listen and not rip me to pieces for something I said in an emotional outburst! But don't blame me for being such an **_insufferable little dick with separation fears_**!" Danny shouted, both Judy and Nick staring at him in shock. He breathed heavily, the shouting having made him short of breath. "Now, if you would kindly let me finish explaining myself, it would be appreciated." He said, turning around and sitting back in the chair, good mood ruined for the third time since he'd known the two mammals he sat in front of.

"You can continue, Daniel." Judy said, Danny noting the fact she called him Daniel instead of Danny. Apparently, she wasn't happy with the way he'd reacted.

"Thank you, Judy." He said, Nick only arching a brow. "Sorry, Nick." He added, more out of legitimate sorrow than intimidation. "Just...don't say things like that." He said, mood suddenly somber. Nick winced, realizing he must have breached a rather sensitive topic for the Cheetah.

"For what it's worth, I overreacted." Nick said, Danny's lip twitching in the beginning of a smile. It would do.

"But, as I was saying earlier, I'm not and never have been disgusted by interspecies romance, nor Pred-Prey stuff. I'm sure Judy'll agree with me there." He said, bracer's screen coming to life as he looked at her file. "'Officer Hopps has, on occasion and hours worth of prodding and begging from Clawhauser, revealed she reads the occasional trashy, Pred-Prey type romance novels. That includes the more mature ones, too.'" Danny said, Nick looking at Judy in bewilderment. Judy, in all her embarrassment, grabbed a pillow and checked it at Danny. It smacked his head with an audible smacking sound. Danny fell to the ground, shaking his head.

"Jeez Carrots. You hiding bricks in the pillows or something?" Nick asked, Danny seconding the question with a huff.

"No. They just aren't stuffed very well." Judy answered, crossing her arms.

"Or the stuffing isn't very good." Danny commented, Judy rolling her eyes.

"Or that." She agreed, Danny picking himself up.

"So...picked anything up from those novels of yours, Carrots?" Nick asked, Judy staring at him with half-lidded eyes.

"Oh, just a thing or two." She answered, Danny immediately turning around in the chair. He made a quiet gagging noise, uncomfortable with how easily they forgot he was there. "So much for not being disgusted." She remarked, Danny's eyes widening. He turned quickly, only to find Nick's shirt unbuttoned. His eyes widened, unsure how to react for the first time since his childhood.

 _'Oh my god that is surprisingly hot...'_ He thought, shaking his head as he realized where that train of thought went.

"Danny...you're drooling." Judy pointed out, Danny closing his mouth.

"I knew I was considered attractive, but jeez man." Nick said, Danny blinking at the teasing tone.

"I was drooling because my mouth was open, you...you..." He trailed off, not really wanting to say the first words that came to mind. "Baka." He finally finished, earning a look of surprise from Nick.

"Ne! Anata wa bakadesu!" Nick exclaimed, Judy looking confused.

"...Anata was hijo ni hikishimatte imasu." Danny admitted, Nick blinking in surprise.

"E to...Arigato!" Nick said, unsure whether to be proud or disturbed by how easily the Cheetah admitted that.

"Um...what are you guys talking about?" Judy asked, looking at Nick. Danny waved at Nick a solid 'say nothing' type of wave, Nick looking unsure.

"It's nothing important." He finally said, Danny letting out a breath silently. When Judy shrugged and walked into the bedroom, seemingly looking for something, he glared at Danny. "You owe me." He hissed out, Danny blinking.

"Hai." He said, Nick seeming satisfied with the answer.

"You seriously said that, didn't you." Nick said, gesturing towards his chest.

"...It slipped out." He said, shrugging. When Nick merely stared, he sighed. "It was just an observation anyway."

"It better have been." Nick muttered, crossing his arms and huffing indignantly. Danny arched an eyebrow as his other twitched.

"You do realize my brother is-"

"I know." Nick interrupted, Danny waiting for him to continue. "I mean, it doesn't bother me, I just get uncomfortable when it happens to me." He added, Danny nodding.

"Well, don't worry about it. I've yet to find a male that has caught my eye, so I think you should be fine." Danny retorted playfully, earlier enmity forgotten. He blinked in surprise when Nick sighed sadly, tilting his head curiously.

"I'm sorry." He said, Danny unsure what he was talking about. "For saying what I did." He explained, Danny sighing.

"Nick, it's fine. It, like my comment to Bogo at the Contract's report, was an emotional outburst. I forgave you after my...response. I just don't like being connected with such things." He said, head resting on his arms again.

"Sensitive subject, huh?" Nick asked, knowing what talking about a bad past felt like.

"You could say that." Danny answered, getting out of the chair and walking over to the window, looking at the sky. "Dad was...less than discreet with his flirting. Caught him with others at various points growing up. After the first six times, it became less of a shock and more of just a fact." He said, Nick wincing at it. He didn't even notice Judy standing in the doorway a few feet away. Danny laughed suddenly, a sad, hollow sound. "He was my first Contract, too. I'm sure you heard about it Nick, considering what was left of him." He said, Nick blinking in surprise.

"But...you're too nice to do something like that." He said, completely forgetting what had happened five minutes ago. "That's not in your character as a mammal." He whispered, Danny barely catching it.

"That's why nobody ever suspected me." He said, voice sounding detached, like he wasn't there. "He suffered for hours, begging me to stop and asking why I was doing it. At the end, I answered him. I said: 'Because you deserve it.' I think the look of disbelief and heartbreak he had on his face is what made me end his suffering. Like he didn't realize what he was doing was wrong. I think it's also what made me brutalize him afterwards." He said, looking down in sadness.

"I'm sorry you had to go through that." Nick said, Danny shaking his head. He looked back out the window.

"It was what I needed, I think. Helped me release my pent up rage and hate in ways other stuff couldn't." He stated, stumbling slightly when a small weight suddenly collided with his waist. He looked down, surprised to see Judy attached to his midsection. Nick looked equally surprised, though in a more understanding sort of way than accusing. "Uh..." He trailed off, unsure what to say.

"Nobody deserves to have to go through that. Nobody deserves to have to do what you did, either. It's horrible somebody would do it enough times to desensitize a child to it." She said, voice betraying the sadness that didn't reach her face.

"I was chastised, of course. But Bogo was understanding when I explained it. He's a big softie when he knows your backstory nobody else does. Easy to see why him and my brother are together. " Danny said, trying to calm the mood. "Besides, it was a one time thing. Everybody else has been quick, clean, and never suffered." He said, Nick grunting behind him.

"Last week wasn't all that clean, judging from your report." Nick said, Danny wincing.

"Yeah...messier than I would've liked. But it was do or die, and I'd rather not die before getting to know the two Heroes of Zootopia." He said, shrugging.

"They way you said that makes it sound like 'heroes' is capitalized." Judy remarked, Nick grunting softly.

"It is, in the papers." Danny said, Judy sighing.

"Of course." Nick said, Judy detaching from Danny when she realized the moment of sadness was over. She sat down next to Nick.

"Well, we kinda did save the city from the Night Howlers, so I think it's a little accurate. Still, I don't want us to take too much credit. The other officers did do something to try and find the other mammals, even if they didn't succeed. They deserve some kind of recognition, at the very least." Judy said, Danny shrugging.

"Honestly, you guys deserve the recognition you get. Yeah, the other officers played a part, but the public doesn't see that. They see the two Firsts-that's capitalized by the way-who also solved the biggest political scandal in Zootopia's history. I'd say that deserves some recognition." Danny said, turning abruptly and clapping once. "Okay! That was depressing. Let's talk about happier things before I break something." He said, Judy and Nick blinking.

"What." They said in unison, surprised by his exclamation. They seemed to realize he was serious and gained faces that said they were thinking.

"How are we going to get new recruits? Aside from actually recreating what happened after the Press Conference Incident, as Bogo calls it." Nick asked, Judy wincing and shrinking into herself.

"Keep an eye out for mammals suffering from extreme cases of prejudice. Anybody sticks out, ask them if they want to help us. Don't be incredibly obvious, just tell them enough to entice them. We'll need masks. Hard ballistic plastic or light but durable metal. Enough to stop a twenty two bullet up to a forty five. They want to join, we hold a ceremony. Anybody leaves, do what you have to do so they aren't a threat. Bribe, blackmail, whatever. We'll also need voice changers, for obvious reasons. Sociopaths are fine, but no psychopaths. We need the mammals to feel emotion if we are to gauge how they react to the business. But, I'll take whoever we can. That's just a preference, both personally and professionally. We clear this with Bogo, and we start immediately." Danny said, Judy and Nick blinking.

"You sound like this has been planned out for a while." Nick remarked, Danny shrugging.

"Maybe I have." He said, looking towards Judy. "Go get changed. We need to do this now." He said, Judy huffing at being ordered around. She complied, though, since it was his plan. He looked at Nick. "You too."

"Why do you two always seem to be telling me to change clothes?" He muttered, standing up and walking into the room. A scream sounded, Nick running out and closing the door.

"I thought Judy was okay with you looking at her by now." Danny said, an eyebrow arched in amusement.

"Apparently only during times of...well, you know." He said, shrugging.

"You can come in now!" Judy shouted, Nick rolling his eyes and walking in, Danny shaking is head in amusement.

"He is so the uke." He said lowly, struggling not to laugh.

 _Thirty minutes later, Precinct One_

Danny entered Bogo's office from the vent in the ceiling, unfurling his body from where he had curled up to land on his feet.

"Hello, Danny." Bogo said, Danny nodding. He looked up, both Judy and Nick coming through the grate, one after the other. "Is there a reason for this unscheduled meeting?" He asked, Judy stepping forward.

"Sir. Danny has come up with an idea to expand the Brotherhood." She said, arms behind her back in a formal stance. Bogo nodded slowly, considering it.

"Well, let's hear it." Bogo said, Judy stepping back. Danny stepped forward, squaring his shoulders. He explained his plan to Bogo, who nodded once, slowly, in thought. He pitched a tent with his fingers, sighing as he mulled it over.

"I think it could work. I'll see if I can get our R&D guys on the masks. I make no promises, but I'll try." Bogo said, Judy nodding. She stepped under the grate to the roof as Bogo pressed his intercom, asking for an R&D mammal to come to his office. She leaped, pulling herself up.

Danny closed the grate behind him as the door opened, a Wolf walking in.

 _One month later, warehouse at Tundra Town Docks_

Judy stood before a large group of mammals, surprised at the number her, Nick, and Danny had found willing to give it a look. There was an assortment of mammals, ranging from Wolves to a Hare, even an Arctic Fox. The fact that there could possibly be a Rabbit, Hare, Fox, and Arctic Fox in the Brotherhood wasn't lost on her. It was worrying, but she knew Nick.

Besides, from the way the Hare and Arctic Fox kept sneaking looks at each other...

"I wasn't expecting this many recruits." Nick said from her left, Judy's lips twitching in the beginning of a smile under her mask.

"I'm more disappointed." Danny remarked from her right, Judy's gaze traveling to him in confusion. It took her a few seconds, but she got what he meant. The fact there were this many meant Zootopia still had a journey ahead of it when it came to prejudices.

"I know what you mean." Judy said, ignoring the way Nick seemed to shift to look at the back row.

"Back left row. Black Panther." He said, Judy looking. There.

"What about him?" She asked, curious what had gotten Nick's attention.

"If they pass, we've got our stealth mammal." He said, Judy rolling her eyes. She'd have to change her colors to identify her fur, since it seemed to be a weird theme, save for Danny who took the classic all white approach.

"Call him up." Danny said, Judy nodding, movement only visible to a trained eye. She raised a paw.

"Black Panther. Back left corner." She said loudly, gesturing for the mammal to come up to them. The crowd parted, allowing the mammal to walk up to where they stood.

"Sim?" The mammal asked, Judy unsure what he asked. The Panther seemed to realize it. "Yes?" It asked, Judy guessing that was what it had asked.

"Name and species." She said, the height difference making little difference to her.

"Black Panther, and I prefer to be called Fantasma." He said, Judy arching an eyebrow.

"Portuguese for Phantom." Danny said, Judy looking the Panther up and down.

"I wonder why." She remarked, the Panther shrinking into himself slightly. "You can call me Veterano Jonah for now. This is Maestro Nikita and Novice Spots." She said, gesturing to Nick and Danny, respectively. The fact a Novice was present seemed to surprise the Panther, for he opened his mouth to speak. "He was out of commission for a while." She said, answering the question before it was even uttered.

"I see." The Panther said, looking Danny up and down.

"Maestro. If you would." She said, gesturing for Nick to step forward to address the crowd while gesturing for the Panther to step aside. They complied, Nick clasping his hands behind his back.

"All of you are likely wondering what all of this is about. Well, I'm going to answer those questions. You're wondering why we're dressed the way we are, and I'll answer directly. We are the last three active members of the Assassin Brotherhood. We are engaged in a war against the Templars, a secret organization we've been fighting since, at the least, eleven-ninety-one. The Third Crusade in Europe. Perhaps longer. We have three simple tenets we follow at all times. Number One: Stay your blade from the flesh of an innocent. Simple enough, I hope. Number Two: Hide in plain site. And number Three: Never compromise the Brotherhood. Abide by these tenets and you will face no disciplinary action regarding actions and choices you have made." He said, pacing back and forth on the raised platform they stood on. He stepped back, gesturing to Danny to step forward. The Cheetah stepped forward, all too glad to continue the speech.

"We also follow a very complex Creed. Nothing is true. Everything is permitted. Rather cynical sounding, I know. And it would be, if it were doctrine. But it is merely an observation of the nature of reality. To say that nothing is true, is to realize that the foundations of society are fragile, and that we must be the shepherds of our own civilization. To say that everything is permitted, is to understand that we are the architects of our actions, and that we must live with their consequences, whether glorious or tragic. I reveal this information in the hope that it makes you consider your choice of whether or not to join carefully. We won't make you join, but do know we need as many as we can get. If you decide you do not wish to join after consideration, we ask that you refrain from speaking about this meeting to anyone. If you decide to join us at a later date, we will still take you in. If you wish to spread the information to anybody, make sure you can trust them with your lives. Anything less, and you could get us killed. If you decide to join, you begin training immediately. Your fighting styles will focus on your strengths and make your weaknesses less exploitable. In the old days, we use to cut off the ring finger of a Brother or Sister to show their commitment to our cause. Then we moved to branding the finger. Now, all we ask is you pledge your loyalty to us. If you wish to join, step forward and bow. If not, remain standing." Danny ordered, the gathering of mammals all having concerned and unsure faces, contemplating the decision.

The Arctic Fox and Hare looked at each other, nodded, and stepped forward. They bowed, placing their right paws over their hearts and lowering to one knee. Slowly, other mammals did the same. A few mammals, namely a few Wolves and an Otter, remained standing. They seemed uncertain. After a few minutes, they turned and walked out.

"I expected less." Danny remarked, Judy punching his arm playfully.

"Don't be so pessimistic, Spots." She said with a tint of humor, though Danny remained stoic.

"It's gotten me along pretty well so far, Jonah." He retorted, looking at her from behind his mask. Judy remained silent until the Hare and Arctic Fox came up to the platform.

"Maestro Nikita, Veterano Jonah. We would wish to consult something with you." They said, Judy nodding once to show her approval.

"Take the Reclute for a gearing. We'll be there soon." She ordered, Danny bowing mockingly before gesturing for the other mammals to follow him. She turned to the two mammals. "Begin." She said, both of them bowing their heads respectively.

"My name is Lumi, and this is Is." The Arctic Fox said, gesturing to herself and the Hare in the same order as the names.

"Snow and Ice. Fitting, I suppose." Nick said, Judy tilting her head slightly. "Finnish and Swedish." He explained, Judy nodding. She'd have to consult Nick on his Polyglot ways, it would seem. "Continue." He said, turning to the Hare and Arctic Fox.

"We just want to say we appreciate all you've done for the mammals of Zootopia. I'm assuming the Wolf in the Rainforest District and the Rhino in Tundra Town were your handiwork. Were you Assassins before or after you took down Bellwether, Herra Wilde and Miss Hopps?" The Fox asked, Judy and Nick clenching their forearms slightly. Not enough to activate the Hidden Blades, but enough that they could activate them in time if necessary.

"Sorry, you must have the wrong mammals." Nick said, both the Hare and Arctic Fox shaking their heads.

"We'd recognize your tones and voices anywhere, despite your voice changers. Besides, they just make you sound like the opposite gender, not actually change the voice. Besides, Jonah and Nikita are just genderbent names of Judy and Nick. It was too obvious." Lumi said, Judy frowning.

"They have a point, Carrots." Nick said, Judy nodding.

"Just...don't tell anybody else until we do. We want them to prove themselves to the Brotherhood's standards, not our own." Judy said, Lumi and Is nodding. "Although, I do wonder something." She said, paw discreetly pointing at Is. It was enough.

"What about me?" Is asked, tilting their head.

"Is sounds like a girl name, but your voice is masculine." Judy said, Is shrugging.

"You expect me to give my trust to somebody so soon, when I don't even know their intentions?" Is asked, Judy blinking.

"I suppose that's fair." She admitted, sighing. "So Is is a codename. What about Lumi?" Sh asked, turning to the Arctic Fox.

"Lumi is my real name. I was born in a snowstorm, so my papa and mama deemed it fitting." Lumi answered, Judy nodding.

"Go get geared up. We'll be there in a minute." Judy said, Lumi and Is bowing respectively before walking in the direction Danny and the other Reclute had walked in.

"Ten bucks says there will be _something_ between those two in the next five years." Nick said, Judy rolling her eyes.

"They have good deduction skills. Takes a sharp mind to put together the facts they did." Judy said instead of replying to his comment, though she did think they probably were friends, with how they had looked at each other. Maybe they were just thinking the same thing though, and had accidentally locked eyes with each other to see if anybody else thought the same. "Though you could be correct." She said, Nick silently pumping a fist in triumph, glad to hear it.

They stood there for a few minutes longer, trying to think of something else to say for no reason other than to talk.

"Aright. I'm all for talking to pass time, but we should see how the gearing has gone." Nick said, Judy nodding her agreement. They walked in the direction Lumi and Is had, surprised to see all the Reclute had already geared and outfitted.

"Well that was fast." Judy remarked, eyebrow arched behind her mask.

"Hidden Blade is being simple. Rope Launcher only being slightly more complex." Somebody said from behind them. They turned to see Is and Lumi standing there. Is seemed to prefer close range fighting, if the multitude of different garrote styles were any indication, while Lumi seemed to take a liking to one of the only firearms they had access to. It was only a nine millimeter, but it'd get the job done in a pinch. Lumi seemed to notice the staring Judy was doing, for she patted the weapon reassuringly.

"I have been trained in the usage of firearms since I was eight, Veterano Jonah. I know the proper safety measures and precautions. It is also nothing more than a last resort weapon, to be used if nothing else will work." She said, Judy relaxing a small amount. She still didn't like that they had firearms, but if they relied on blades for too long she worried about what they'd do when faced with enemies with guns

"I don't mind, Lumi. I just don't like firearms all that much, even in the paws of somebody with experience." She said, rubbing her arms as she looked away.

"It is being sore subject, yes?" Lumi inquired, Judy shrugging.

"Not really. Just not a whole lot of experience, I suppose." She said, sighing. "Hope you're ready for the Holo Training in the next few days." She said, trying to change the subject before it became uncomfortable.

"Of course! I am being very excited. Though I am confused about what you mean by Holo Training." She answered, paw on her lower jaw in thought.

"One of the few technological luxuries we have. It's kinda like an advanced form of Virtual Reality, in that you're in one place in the real world, but your brain's movement signals are sent to a VR you." Judy explained, seeing the Arctic Fox's eyes light up in recognition.

"It is being like Sword Art Online!" She exclaimed, Judy blinking in surprise. She had never made such a connection, but it made sense.

"Yeah, kinda!" Judy said, chuckling when she realized just how similar the Holo Training was to that show. "This is what happens when I let Nikita design the interface, I suppose." She mumbled, shaking her head.

"Oh! I noticed that our bracers have a projection system. Could you explain this to us?" Lumi asked, gesturing to herself and Is. Judy had forgotten that Is and Nick were both with them.

"It's just a function the Brotherhood implemented recently. Me and Nikita got the prototypes, actually. It's in case one of us gets in a bind and needs help, we can message the other. It has Private, Squad, and Open broadcasting capabilities. It's like texting, but without the emojis." Judy answered, pausing to look at hers when it chimed. "Open Broadcasting just broadcasts to the entire Brotherhood, and is to be used only when severely outnumbered and out-skilled." She explained, lowering her bracer. "All of us should be getting a notification on a large increase in active Brotherhood members, but that's for our roster." She added, looking around quickly. A collection of chimes rang out, all the gathered mammals looking to their left bracers as screens sprang to life.

"What is the roster being for?" Lumi asked, Is nudging her side gently. She looked down in a silent question.

"Your thing is coming back." Is answered, pointing to his throat.

"Ugh! I thought it was going away too." She muttered, grimacing. "Common is difficult to pick up when you lived in Finland all your life. You place your words oddly sometimes." She explained when both Judy and Nick tilted their heads curiously, Is shrugging.

"I don't mind." Judy said, not really bothered by it. Common could be frustrating sometimes, even when you were a native speaker all your life. "But to answer your question, the roster is just a way to show how you guys are progressing in your training and such. Not really any prizes for being in the top ten or five or three, so don't feel daunted by it. There are no benefits from having rank, aside from being able to command lower ranked Brothers and Sisters. Higher ranked Brothers or Sisters can override commands, so if you feel like a wrong move is being made, call it out. Me, Nikita, and Spots will listen to any suggestions, regardless of rank. The mission is more important than rank. You can still be reprimanded, of course, but if it helps get the mission done, then it _can_ be overlooked." She explained, glad when Lumi nodded in understanding. She wasn't annoying or anything, but she and Nick were wanted by Bogo. That meant something was happening. Maybe not something big, but something.

"Nikita, divide the squads. Quickly but effectively. The Mentor wants to see us." She ordered, Nick nodding and turning around. He walked towards another raised platform, hopping up and turning to face the crowd.

"If I could have your attention please!" He shouted, the mammals falling silent from their talking to look at Nick. "You will be divided into five three mammal teams. First up is Beta Team. This will consist of Reclute Lumi, Is, and Fantasma. Be swift and show compassion to those who need it." He said, repeating the message until he assigned the last team.

"Maestro, if I may ask, who is Alpha Team?" A Wolf asked, bowing respectively.

"That designation falls to me, Jonah, and Spots. We'll be in charge of any Contracts unless otherwise stated. Now, I have three important questions to ask you. Who do we stay our blades from?" He asked, looking around the room.

"The flesh of the innocent!" The mammals shouted back, Nick smiling lightly behind his mask. They remembered as much.

"Where do we hide?" Nick half shouted, staring into the center of the crowd.

"In plain sight!" The Reclute answered, Nick's hidden smile growing.

"And in what manner do we act!?" He shouted, the Reclute snapping to attention with an audible _clack_ as their boots stomped the ground.

"In a manner that does not compromise the Brotherhood!" They answered, Nick nodding.

"Good! Now go! Retreat to your lives until you are called! And when you are called, meet here for further instructions!" He ordered, the Reclute bowing and stomping one foot each, the _clack_ a satisfying sound. They turned and walked out, breaking into their groups.

"You'd be a good politician, you know." Judy said from behind him, Nick turning to face her.

"Why do you say that?" He asked, noticing that Is, Lumi, and Fantasma had yet to leave.

"You're good with words. You inspire others." She answered, Nick shaking his head.

"No, I don't." He said, Judy crossing her arms.

"You inspired the Reclute. Do you know how many seemed uninterested in our cause before you began your speech in the main room? You changed their minds by proving our cause isn't as bad as it seems." She retorted playfully, Nick rolling his eyes behind his mask.

"Right..." Nick said, still not believing her. "Let's go see what Beta wants." He said, turning and walking back to where Is, Lumi, and Fantasma stood.

"Maestro Nikita, I just wanted to thank you for giving me a chance when you found me, and Is and Lumi wouldn't let me leave by myself. Obrigado." Fantasma said as they approached, Nick, Is and Lumi rolling their eyes.

"Mer som han inte skulle låta oss..." Is muttered, Nick huffing in amusement.

"It's no problem Fantasma. Thank you for giving this a chance." Nick said, placing a paw on the Panther's shoulder. Fantasma nodded, eyes bright, and bowed respectively before turning and walking out, Is and Lumi following him. When they had left, Judy turned to look at Nick.

"What'd Is say?" She asked, tilting her head.

"'More like he made us.'" He answered, using air quotes.

"Ah. You're gonna have to teach me these languages, you know." She said, Nick nodding.

"Yeah, one day." Nick said, jumping slightly when he felt a paw grab his tail. "Hey, what did I say about touching the tail?" He asked, rounding on Judy.

"Okay okay, sorry." She said, patting the air in front of her in a placating gesture.

"Although...we get home in the next fifteen minutes and you can tug it all you want." He said, eyes half-lidded.

"Well, I guess we better hurry then." She retorted, flicking him playfully on the nose before running out of the room.

"Hehe, Sly Bunny." Nick said, running out after her.

 **Alright! That does it for Chapter 3! I hope you guys enjoyed it because yes Beta Team will be making more than one appearance later in the story. Maybe even have a chapter or two dedicated to them. And in case you guys didn't know, the names Jonah and Nikita come from the AO3 fic A Loving Heart, which is a Zootopia fanfiction with Genderbent versions of Nick and Judy, in case that wasn't obvious. And to anybody confused, Is is pronounced like Ice, but with a long e sound, like in Evie. And the "thing" as Is calls it is based on Riina's speaking in the fic Sounds of the Heart by Selaxes, a must read fic on . And yes, I just had to reference SAO. I can't help it. It was my introduction to that kind of anime. Plus it makes me cry, so it holds a special place in my heart. Even with it's...flaws. But yeah. I have the ending planned out in this story, and you guys are going to absolutely hate me for it. I guarantee it. Basically, *CENSORED* is gonna happen. So look forward to that, I suppose. And I was gonna wait for a few more chapters to introduce the new characters, but the scene in Judy and Nick's apartment was shorter than I wanted it and I couldn't think of a way to lengthen it without making it seem bloated. And yes, Nick insinuated that Judy and Danny had a bit more than a "friendly" talk. This is mainly because, like Danny said, he worries about Judy seeing somebody else behind his back but isn't comfortable bringing it up. Another reason is because Foxes mate for life, so this spawned that, which spawned the scene. Anyway, I'll see you guys...next update. Word Count: 7,232.**

 **Other Languages**

 **Danny: Idiot**

 **Nick: Hey! You're the idiot!**

 **Danny: ...You're very toned**

 **Nick: Uh...thanks?**


	5. Danny's Past

**Hey guys Price here and welcome to Chapter Four of Zootopian Assassins/Assassins of Zootopia. I hope you guys enjoyed the last chapters because I certainly did. I think I'll make the Holo Training take place over the course of the next two chapters, in order to give the teams a relatively half and half course in the Holo Training. That means I have to create like...twelve more names. Hooray. So yeah. Just so you guys know, I'll take any constructive criticism you guys can throw at me. If it helps me improve the story, I'll gladly accept it. So yeah, don't be afraid to give me any and all constructive criticism, because I feel like I could make this better and I'd really like to. Expect a flashback sequence to take up most of this chapter, since it's the chapter I promised for Danny's backstory, and I will elaborate a bit on the little info I gave last chapter. Hope you guys don't mind! If you do, though, read it anyway. It'll affect certain elements in the story later on. And I say again, you guys _will_ hate me for the ending. And about last chapter with a hint at Danny's past. What, you guys thought I was going to create an OC without _some_ kind of dark background? Anyway, I think it's time to get...onto the story!**

Judy sat on the edge of a building's roof, Nick standing against the building's roof access stairs a few feet behind her. Danny hung over the side of the building, his Rope Laucher embedded into the roof's edge. He was scanning the street below and to the sides for any more mammals they could take in, though he hoped they wouldn't. That they'd had enough for eight teams before the Otter and eight Wolves left hurt inside.

"I don't think we're gonna find anymore for now." Judy said, Danny looking up at her.

"I hope we never do." He said, looking back at the street for one last sweep before reeling himself up and to the roof. "It's great we have recruits now, but I wish the reasons why weren't so bad." He murmured, sighing sadly.

"I've been thinking about something." Nick suddenly said, Judy and Danny looking at him. "You told us some of your backstory, but you didn't explain everything. I want to know it. All of it." He said, detaching his back from the wall, standing before Danny.

"Ah. I was wondering when you'd ask." Danny said, sitting down on a small box. "Well, gather 'round I suppose." He said, gesturing to the space in front of him.

"Danny, you don't have to tell us this if it makes you uncomfortable." Judy said, placing a comforting paw on his arm. Nick glanced at it, but otherwise ignored the act. She was right, and Danny had made it clear he didn't like talking about it.

"Yes, I do. If I don't, it'll just eat at me. And I know it'll eat at you." He said, poking Judy on the belly playfully.

"Nah, that's Nick's job." She said, Danny blinking.

"Oooookay, moving on." Danny said, sitting up straight.

"I think you broke him." Nick remarked, a small half-smile playing across his features briefly.

"Again, your job." Judy retorted, Nick holding up a paw.

"I think you mean his job is to break me." Nick fired back, Danny clearing his throat awkwardly and looking down.

"Nick!" She exclaimed, shocked by his response.

"Sorry! Sorry! First thing that came to mind!" He said, paw subconsciously rubbing the underside of his jaw. "I will admit, though, that you throw a good punch." He said, as if trying to lighten the mood.

"Thanks...?" Danny said, unsure if it was a compliment or not.

"You're welcome." Nick said, confirming his statement was a compliment. He sat down on the floor of the roof in front of Danny, hunched over slightly with paws clasped together under his jaw. Judy joined him. "You were going to elaborate on the things you said the other day?" He asked, Danny nodding.

"You pay attention, and I will." He said, smiling playfully at Nick's frown. "Okay, so I told you the basics and stuff, so you know when I was born. I'll start this the first day of my joining the Brotherhood, and end it when I rescued Nick, since you guys basically know the rest." He said, earning nods from Judy and Nick. "This may get a little...graphic." He warned, the two mammals nodding again. "It starts like this..."

 _December 20, 1988_

Danny felt his chest swell with pride. He'd finally done it. He was finally an Assassin. Well, technically he was a Novice, but that was besides the point. After months of grueling training, he was ready.

"Now, I don't normally send Novices out on missions for their first day, but I need to know you're ready. Here's your first contract." The Mentor, a Cape Buffalo named Bogo, said, handing him a small rolled piece of parchment. Danny took it, unfurling it.

"S-sir, this...this mammal..." He stammered, more from surprise than from horror. Sure, he hated the mammal who's name was on the parchment, but to kill him...it never crossed his mind.

"Is your father, I know. And I'm sorry, but he's the only Templar I trust you can take out. He carries no protection, so I have all the faith you can do this." Bogo said, earning a chuckle from the Cheetah in front of him.

"No...no he doesn't." He said, Bogo flinching slightly. "But I promise to get the job done." He said, saluting with his right fist over his heart as he bowed, then turning and walking out the door. He exited the building, checking the streets around it before closing it behind him, then checked one last time before dashing across the street and into an alleyway.

He leaped, hind legs kicking off the wall and launching him high enough to pull himself over the fire escape's edge. He ran up the fire escape and onto the roof, then turned and looked out over the city. He had to get home and complete his contract before Ben got home. Bogo had convinced him to pull an extra shift that night and it was getting close to being half over. He turned and dashed across the roof tops.

It took him an hour to get there by foot. He quietly lowered himself from the roof, set on coming in through the door. He did that and nobody would suspect what his goal was. He looked around once but thoroughly before opening the door and closing it.

"So that's who you've been hanging around with." A voice said, Danny freezing. He turned from the door, his father standing there with a look of disappointment.

"What room do you have to talk?" Danny fired back, letting his anger seep out in waves. "Father of Understanding? That ring a bell to you?" He asked, seeing the Cheetah flinch.

"So you do pay attention." He said, Danny blinking in surprise.

"Never thought I'd actually do it, but it would seem so." Dany retorted, his confusion coming to mind at how confused his father looked.

"I'd hoped it would never come to this, Danny." His father said, taking a step forward. Danny lifted his paw, pointing at the Cheetah.

"Don't come any closer. You have no idea what you've done to me, so I don't expect you to understand my anger." He said, arm slowly lowering to grip the Kyoketsu Shogei on his hip. He unsheathed it and let it hang from the chain, intent clear. His father took a step back.

"You know, I wish you weren't so dead set on this. I don't want to fight you." His father said, Danny swinging the Kyoketsu Shogei lightly.

"I don't want to fight you either." Danny said, a quiet sigh of relief escaping his father. "I want you to suffer." With that, he performed a quick three hundred and sixty degree spin, releasing the chain and watching it sail through the air, sinking into his father's shoulder, who cried out in pain. The Cheetah fell backwards when Danny pulled on the chain, the blade coming out, and clutching his shoulder. Danny walked forward, grabbing the mammal by the throat and lifting him up. He walked him into a room with a window, then pinned him to the wall with his Kyoketsu Shogei, muffling his scream with his paw. He stepped back, admired his handiwork for a few seconds, then unleashed his Hidden Blades with a _snick_ and, with the blade's edge, de-furred his father's chest in the shape of a Templar cross. His father whimpered all the while.

When he was done, he stepped back and sheathed his Hidden Blades, turning his head to see if there was any sound. Hearing nothing, he turned back to the Cheetah. Rolling his shoulders, he stepped forward and delivered a punch to his ribs, a satisfying _crack_ ringing out as a rib shattered. When his father opened his mouth to scream, he punched his jaw, shattering teeth. He turned and walked away, stopping at the other wall.

"Please...stop. I'll tell you what you want to hear." His father begged, Danny shaking his head.

"I don't want confessions." He said, running forward and lifting his right leg. He brought it down on his father's knee, breaking it and eliciting a scream of pain from the Cheetah. "I want you to suffer." He hissed out, throwing another punch into the mammal's rib cage.

His father mumbled something, as if he wanted to say it but didn't think it wise.

"Excuse me?" Danny asked, getting in close.

"Why are you doing this? What did I do to deserve such torture?" The Cheetah asked, Danny reeling. He backpedaled, shaking his head.

"You...you don't know?" Danny asked, incredulous. His father shook his head, fear in his eyes. "Let's try and jog some memory then. Stacy. Shawna. Kinsey. Tiffany." Danny said, rattling off names like he'd heard them yesterday. His father squinted, as if in deep thought.

"I...I'm sorry, I don't know those names." He said, Danny eliciting a cold, emotionless laugh.

"Let's try again. July third, seventy three. Two days later, the fifth. December twentieth, eighty one. Last Friday." Danny said, his father shaking his head again. "Oh? Is mother not good enough anymore?" Danny asked, stepping forward. When his father refused to answer, he shouted in anger and, with a _snick_ that seemed deafening to Danny, plunged his Hidden Blade into his father's throat. He ripped to the side, blood spraying onto Danny. More spilled down the Cheetah's chest, staining the cross he'd cut red. His father made a choking noise, Danny growling and slamming his fist into his father's face. He looked around, then strained his ears. Nothing still.

Sheathing his right Hidden Blade, Danny backed away a few feet, observing the corpse. With a nod, he set to work.

It took nearly thirty minutes, but Danny was done. With a contented sigh, he rolled his neck. That's when he heard it. The click of a door knob.

"Hey dad, yo-" The voice cut off, Danny already knowing who it was. He pulled up the scarf he'd added to his attire for this mission, obscuring anything below his eyes, and turned. He was surprised to see a gun already in his younger brother's hands. "Who are you?" Ben asked, Danny's head turning slightly to glance at the window. He rolled to his left as Ben fired off a shot, the roud impacting their father's corpse with a meaty sound. He dashed towards the window, leaping through it. The glass shattered, and Danny impacted the ground with a resounding _thud_.

"Okay, never try and leap through a window and expect to clear five meters with that low a speed." He muttered, ducking as another gunshot rang out. He picked himself up and took off, hearing Ben call for backup.

By the time they arrived, he was already long gone.

When he arrived at the building Bogo was using for assigning Contracts, he was surprised to find the lights off. He took a step forward, unsure.

"Mentor?" He asked, hearing a creak to his right. He didn't even have time to turn before the hoof impacted with his cheek. He stumbled, rolling when he felt himself about to fall. The lights flicked on, Bogo standing there with a well and truly pissed expression.

"This was a simple in and out job, Daniel. I've known you for a long while, but I didn't know you could be so cruel." He said, Danny immediately latching onto the fact he'd been called Daniel.

"Normally, I can't." Danny said, not really seeing the problem.

"Do you realize the kinds of therapy Benji is going to have to undergo because you let emotions compromise the mission?" Bogo asked, Danny's ears flicking as he looked downward in shame. He hadn't thought about that. "You disappoint me, Daniel. I thought you were better than this." The Cape Buffalo continued, Danny looking up in ire.

"I am!" He shouted, Bogo narrowing his eyes.

"How do you expect me to believe that when you can't even keep your emotions in check?" Bogo asked, Danny stepping forward.

"I-" He stopped his shout mid sentence, realizing Bogo was right. "Eventually, he'll find out." He said, paw reaching out and coming into contact with the wall. He let himself tilt into it, sliding down until he had his head in his paws, horror playing through his mind as he lived the possible scenarios if Ben ever found out what he'd done. Everything was there. From killing Danny in a fit of rage to the different ways he could off himself. _Everything_ was there.

"Maybe. And you'll be responsible for whatever happens. But I expect you to tell him why you did what you did when he does find out. It's only fair, and it may keep him in check, if only a small amount." Bogo said, kneeling down and placing a paw on Danny's shoulder in comfort. He stood up a minute later, rolling his neck. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a Cheetah to-"

"Don't wanna hear it." Danny said, Bogo blinking before he understood what Danny meant.

"I was going to say comfort, though I suppose I could..." He trailed off, leaving Danny to bolt out of the building. "I feel so sorry for whoever he chooses later on." He muttered, shaking his head.

 _Current day_

Judy stared, open-mouthed, as Danny finished the first part of his story. She didn't know what to say.

"Careful, a little something may find it's way in there Carrots." Nick advised, Judy closing her mouth.

"Not the time, Nick." She said, glaring.

"I was talking about a fly, or something. And you call me perverted." Nick said with an exaggerated huff of indignation.

"That's because you are." She said, Danny staring at the duo. Judy rolled her eyes and returned her attention to Danny, the Cheetah merely raising an eyebrow.

"Only sometimes." Nick fired back, Judy sighing.

"More like most of the time." She said, crossing her arms.

"Only because you do it to me." Nick said, earning a look of indignation from Judy. "It's true! I never would've said the things I do now when I was a hustler." He said, Danny arching an eyebrow.

"So that's what you did." Danny said, Nick glancing at him.

"You mean the Templar?" Nick asked, Judy tilting her head at the sudden subject change.

"Yeah." Danny answered, nodding.

"Yes. Yes I did." Nick said, Danny huffing in amusement.

"While this is interesting, isn't there a reason we're here?" Judy asked, Danny gaining a look of fake hurt.

"And here I thought it was to talk as friends." He said, Judy rolling here eyes.

"You can continue, now, Danny." Nick said, Danny nodding once and readjusting his position, wondering just how it was possible to only sit on a wooden crate for five or so minutes before you got sore.

"So we know what happened on my first Contract." He began, Judy and Nick nodding, though both their chins were touching their chests. "Well, this is my second..."

 _July 5, 2001_

Danny stood inside Chief Bogo's office, the Cape Buffalo looking at his name plate before shifting it ever so slightly. With a satisfied grunt, he walked behind his desk and sat down.

"So you finally made it." He said, a small smile touching his jaw.

"That I did." Bogo said, sighing quickly and powerfully before looking a Danny seriously."Somehow, our little secret hasn't come out yet. Let's keep it that way." He said, Danny nodding.

"As much as I appreciate the downtime I've been getting, there is another reason you called me here besides to gloat, right?" Danny asked, Bogo arching an eyebrow.

"Yes, actually. I don't know if you're ready, but it's necessary and I have a meeting I have to go to. The things they don't tell you about being a Police Chief." Bogo said, mumbling the last part under his breath. "You have a new Contract. Try not to deform this one." Bogo said, passing him a piece of parchment, which he caught.

"I'll do my best." Danny said, saluting dramatically. Since his first Contract, it'd become a sort of joke between them. So far, they'd managed to keep his brother from gaining access to it, but they'd done a good job lately. Danny rolled his shoulders and stepped under the vent in the room's ceiling, leaping and pulling himself up and inside.

Ben's therapy had been...thorough, to say the least. Now he could barely stop smiling. Danny still felt bad about it, but Ben _had_ tried to shoot him...with gunpowder assisted tranqs.

He looked around when he reached the roof, making sure the streets below were clear. When he confirmed they were, he began climbing down. Leaping to the ground, he rolled into it and came up sprinting. It only took a few minutes to reach the Contract's listed location.

Danny crouched behind a crate, the Templar in his sights. He prepared to dash out when he realized there was another mammal behind the Templar, which made him pause.

"Listen, Fox! I know you scammed me!" The Templar shouted, giving Danny some idea of what the current situation was.

"Look, I'm sorry you seem to be so dead set on making me confess to something I didn't do, but I need to get home." The Fox said, trying to walk away. The Templar grabbed his wrist, pulling him back.

"The only thing that's going to be dead is you if you give me my money back!" The Templar shouted, Danny sighing. What was it with Templars and threats?

"That won't be necessary." Danny said, still crouched behind the crate. The Templar turned around, looking for the source of the voice. The Fox took the opportunity to book it down an alley, the Templar only realizing it when he turned back around.

"Hey! Get back here!" The Templar shouted, chasing after the Fox. Danny waited for approximately five seconds before following.

"Sorry buddy! Can't do that!" Danny heard the Fox shout, the Templar disappearing around a corner. Danny dropped and slid around the corner, not expecting the boot that crashed into his jaw. He tumbled backwards, managing to correct himself and get his paws under him, pushing off the ground and backflipping onto his hind paws.

"I thought I heard something chasing me." The Templar remarked, Danny narrowing his eyes. He managed to see the Fox hide behind a fence, and he grimaced. He wished the Fox had kept running. "Though I expected something a bit more than a Novice." The Templar added, Danny bringing his attention back to the mammal.

"Sorry to disappoint." Danny said, rolling to the left when the Templar pulled a gun. The gun went off, a round impacting the wall behind Danny. He came up spinning and flung his Kyoketsu Shogei, knocking the gun out of the Templar's paws. He pulled the chain, bringing the blade back.

"You think killing me will stop anything? Our Grandmaster knows every move you make before you do!" The Templar shouted, Danny rolling forward and bringing a fist into the Templar's gut. The Templar doubled over, Danny flipping backwards and into the shadows the alley provided.

"That may be, but I have a mission to complete, and I will see it completed." Danny said, the Templar turning, trying to find him.

"Come out and face me, coward!" The Templar shouted, Danny looking down at him from where he'd climbed a building. "Come on!" The Templar shouted again, Danny activating his left Hidden Blade and leaping. He landed behind the Templar, rolling and slashing the Templar's calf, then dashing back into the shadows.

"This is going to be easy." Danny remarked, the Templar standing from where he'd collapsed to one knee.

"If you think I'm going to go down without a fight, you are sorely mistaken!" The Templar shouted, Danny rolling his eyes. Templars and their gloating.

He gasped when a paw suddenly bust through the wooden fence he was hiding behind, ducking under it's attempt to grab him and stabbing the paw with his right Hidden Blade. The Templar yanked it's paw back, Danny unable to pull his Hidden Blade free in time. He watched, eyes wide, as it broke from the force applied to it.

"You are going to pay for that." Danny growled, dashing from behind the fence and attempting to tackle the Templar. The Templar ducked under his leap and rolled away, Danny rolling into his landing. He came up, rolling again when he saw the Templar holding his gun. The second round impacted the wall, much like the first. He dashed forward, slapping the gun aside and spinning, driving his hind paw into the Templar's jaw and sending him crashing to the ground. The Templar raised himself up, glaring at Danny with anger.

The Templar threw a punch, Danny dodging to the side and grabbing the wrist. He brought his elbow down into the inside of the Templar's, then sent it into the Templar's muzzle. He brought his right leg up and delivered a kick to the Templar's midsection, sending the Templar back to the ground. He flipped backwards when the Templar came up with a knife, feeling it pass just below his spine.

The Templar dashed forward, Danny barely dodging the stab that came with it. He grimaced slightly, realizing the Templar had more experience with actual fights than he did. He'd have to end this quickly, or else suffer the consequences of failing.

He was pulled from his thoughts when the Templar came at him again, extending his left Hidden Blade to deflect the swipe. He gasped in shock when the Templar reversed the swing, cutting the straps on the underside of his bracer. The Templar grabbed his bracer and threw it behind him, Danny watching as it sailed into the shadows.

Knowing his options were limited between stay and die or run and try again when he was better and more well equipped, Danny took the second option. He turned and ran, hearing the Templar chuckle behind him. With a gasp of pain he collapsed onto the ground, searing agony radiating from his upper back. He desperately reached for the spot of pain, paw wrapping around the handle of a knife. He made to pull it out when another paw did it for him, then groaned when he was forced onto his back. He looked into the eyes of the Templar as they stood above him, smiling in satisfaction. He crouched down, tilting his head slightly as he looked at Danny.

"Such a pitiful little Assassin. Too bad you were the last one, I was hoping for some more practice." He said, raising back up to a standing position.

"Hey!" Somebody shouted, the Templar turning in confusion. He gasped, Danny faintly hearing a _snick_ before the Templar went rigid. Slowly, the Templar fell to the ground, Danny seeing the Fox from earlier standing above the now dead Templar. The Fox stepped over the Templar, grabbing Danny and hoisting him up and into a sitting position against a wall.

"You...you were supposed to run." He said, eyes half closed.

"Shh. I heard somebody call the cops when that mammal shot his gun. They should get here any time." The Fox said, Danny's eyes widening. His brother was working tonight. He tried to stand, but the Fox pushed him back down.

"I have to go." Danny said, trying to stand again. The Fox pushed him down again.

"You are not going anywhere!" The Fox said, tone like that of a drill sergeant in a movie Danny had watched once. He heard sirens in the distance, and he resigned himself to his fate.

"At least ditch the weapon." Danny said, the Fox looking down at the Hidden bLADE.

"Oh. Right." He said, grabbing it and tossing it away from him, the sound of a car door closing reaching their ears.

"Officer Clawhauser reporting, I am on the scene." Danny heard, making him whimper. He saw the Fox look away, and he made his move.

"Over here! I need help!" The Fox shouted, turning back to the mammal when he heard a crunching sound. He gasped, seeing the mammal had knocked himself unconscious by slamming his head against the wall. He turned when he heard pawsteps, standing to address whoever it was. "Officer, I'm glad you're he-" He stopped, surprised at the teary eyed cop in front of him. "Officer?" He asked tentatively, taking a step forward. The effect was immediate. He paused, suddenly staring down the barrel of those new tranq guns that were assisted by gunpowder for quicker mammals.

"How do you know this mammal?" The officer asked, Nick looking confused.

"I was chased by a coyote who thought I sold him a faulty product, and next thing I know the coyote and this mammal are duking it out. That's all I know. I swear." He answered, paws up as he took a step back.

"Clawhauser! Put the gun down, now!" A voice barked, Nick looking past the officer to see a large mammal, dressed like the Cheetah next to him. The Cheetah in front of him, apparently named Clawhauser, turned at the voice.

"Chief? Why...why are you dressed like this murderer?" The officer asked, gesturing to the Cheetah next to Nick.

"Because he's acing under my orders." The mammal answered, Nick blinking. The Cheetah next to him was acting under the Chief of Police's orders? This day just kept getting stranger by the hour.

"Wh-what?" The officer asked, gun lowering in his shock.

"You heard me. We're a...family of sorts." The Chief answered, Nick tilting his head.

"Who is he!?" The officer asked, the Chief glancing at Nick as if to make sure he hadn't bolted.

"You should know him. You live with him, after all." The Chief said, the officer looking back at the other Cheetah in confusion.

"The only mammal I live with is my brother." The officer said, Nick blinking. The Chief remained silent, though he adopted a somber but caring appearance. "No. No! That's not who Danny is!" The officer shouted, though Nick could hear his voice crack with emotion.

"I'm sorry, Ben. He completed his training just a few months ago. This was only his second Contract." The Chief said, the Cheetah, apparently first name being Ben, shaking his head.

"His second?" The Cheetah asked, the Chief nodding. "But...that would make his first..." The officer trailed off, a look of horror on his face as he turned. "It can't be...you didn't!" The officer shouted, the Chief only sighing sadly. The Cheetah's face contorted in anger, turning and running at the Chief. "You bastard!" He shouted, Nick's ears falling down as he heard the sob in the mammal's voice. The Cheetah impacted with the Chief's chest, though the larger mammal didn't move. The Cheetah hit the Chief's chest weakly, Nick only feeling more and more empathy for the Cheetah. It had to be hard, learning what he had.

After a few minutes, the Cheetah stopped and eventually let the Chief guide him back to the cruiser Nick presumed they had come in. When the Chief returned, Nick glanced between him and the Cheetah, still slumped against the wall.

"I presume you have question." The Chief said, Nick chuckling coldly.

"That's an understatement." He said, the Chief nodding.

"You help me get Danny to a hospital, give an official report, and I'll answer them." He said, pausing. "Though maybe not in that order." He added, earning a small smile from Nick.

"So...what's the deal with the getup?" Nick asked, gesturing to their outfit.

"I'll tell you after we get him checked in." The Chief said, Nick nodding. It was only fair.

"I presume we aren't going to General." He said when they got the Cheetah in the cruiser, the other Cheetah apparently having left.

"Clever." The Chief remarked, a hint of sarcasm lacing his voice. Nick only chuckled. "So...what'd you want to know?"

 _Current day_

Nick tilted his head, confused. "How'd you know what happened after you knocked yourself out?" He asked, Judy echoing his question with a small nod.

"Bogo told me." He said, looking surprised at the question, like he thought the answer was obvious.

"...Wow that was obvious." Nick said, huffing at his own lack of thinking about it.

"You think?" Danny asked sarcastically, surprised when Judy snapped her fingers.

"A dozen boxes!" She exclaimed, Nick and Danny tilting their heads.

"What?" Danny asked, scratching his head in confusion.

"Of donuts! I'm going to buy Ben a dozen boxes!" She said, Nick and Danny glancing at each other.

"What for?" Nick asked, though he had a suspicion he knew.

"For what he had to go through, obviously!" Judy said, like it was obvious.

"I think he's over it by now." Nick said, earning a quiet hum of agreement from Danny.

"That's the first thing I did when I woke up and was cleared. Found Ben and apologized for everything. He said he'd already forgiven me. Said Bogo had explained everything." Danny said, Judy huffing.

"Daniel Alexander Clawhauser! We are buying your brother a dozen boxes of donuts! And a signed Gazelle shirt!" She said, Danny wincing.

"Bogo said my middle name wasn't in any files!" He shouted, Judy smirking.

"Got it from your brother." She said, Danny blinking in shock.

"Wait, how are we getting a signed Gazelle shirt in Ben's size?" Nick asked, Judy only smirking and arching an eyebrow.

"Hey Danny, think you can borrow one of Ben's Gazelle shirts without him knowing?" She asked, Danny blinking.

"Which one?" He asked, earning a look of surprise from Nick. "He has dozens. So probably." He said, Judy looking at Nick with a smug expression.

"Fine." Nick said, Judy nodding at Danny. He stood, stretched his joints, and fired his Rope Launcher, leaping off the building and heading toward's Ben's house.

 _One Week Later_

Judy entered her and Nick's apartment, content with how the day had gone. She'd given Ben his gifts, explained why she got them, and had nearly had her body crushed by a giant fluffy car compactor when Ben had hugged her. While still a little sore, the day had gone well so she was happy.

"Hey Carrots, come here!" Nick shouted, Judy tilting her head. Normally he was in the living room when she got home on his days off. She entered the bedroom, looking around. She didn't see him, so maybe he was in the bathroom. Then the door closed.

"Why hello there. What's a meek little prey doing in my den?" Nick asked, Judy smiling. So it was one of those night, was it?

"Oh Mister Fox, please don't eat me!" She said, hearing a throaty chuckle from behind her.

"Sorry, but it's been a while since I've tasted bunny." Nick said, Judy shivering in fake fear, as the role went. Tonight was going to be fun.

 **And that's it! Hope you guys enjoyed reading this chapter because I had a hell of a time writing it. And I mean that in a bad way. It was literally way too difficult to write this chapter. Emotions are not my strong suit, so that probably had something to do with it. The fight scenes were easy, but I just really can't do dialogue. I should probably take a class for writing dialogue or something. And yes, I have a headcanon regarding the WildeHopps fun time. It is oh so very much fun to think about. I should try my hand at that some time. Maybe when I can afford a computer my girlfriend doesn't know the password to. Hopefully it happens soon. I've read enough to be at least a little decent at it, I hope. Anyway, that does it for this chapter, and I'll see you guys...next update. Word Count: 5,519**


	6. Training

**Hey guys Price here and welcome to Chapter 5 of Assassins of Zootopia/Zootopian Assassins! I am so looking forward to this and the next chapter, though I've yet to come up with all the needed names. If you guys could give me suggestions, I would appreciate it. Also, I might have mentioned this before, but I honestly can't see WildeHopps with any other theme besides Criminal by Britney Spears. Does she have a name in Zootopia? If so, I am so using that headcanon in stories. Not just this one. Pretty much all my WildeHopps stories. And that may be a bit more than a few. Oh! I also make a shameless Halo Ship reference in this chapter near the beginning. Any K5 Trilogy fans will appreciate it. And I think I said it in Chapter 2, but Nick going savage when Judy almost died isn't really important to the story, and just serves as a reference to a story called The Savage Dark on AO3. Oh! I also make an AvP ship reference. It'll be obvious to anybody who saw the first film. Anyway, I've said enough, so let's get...onto the story!**

 **J: Normal Hidden Blade on left paw; ACIII Hidden blade on right paw; Short Sword on back; Rope Launcher on left bracer; Five Flash Grenades; Fifteen Smoke Grenades; Thirty Throwing Knives throughout her mammal; Pouch for Lock Picks on left side; Pouch for broken Lock Picks on right side; Hidden Boot Blades on both heels and front of her boots; Collapsible Baton for capture missions; Shaped Charges; Light Armor**

 **N: Unity Phantom Blade on left paw, Normal Hidden Blade on right paw; Rope Launcher on right bracer; Collapsible Tomahawks on both thighs((think Innie Leader's Tomahawks from Red vs Blue Season 10)); Twenty Throwing Knives throughout his mammal; Twenty Smoke Grenades; Collapsible Baton for capture missions; Medium Armor**

 **D: Normal Hidden Blade on both paws; No attachments; Thirty Throwing Knives throughout his mammal; Five Cherry Bombs; Rope Dart; Kyoketsu Shogei((Ninja Assassin version)); No Armor**

Judy entered the warehouse they used to introduce the recruits for the Brotherhood, Nick and Danny right behind her. She was actually looking forward to meeting Beta Team again.

"So Nick, you placing any bets on the Reclute?" Danny asked, Judy glancing back.

"No, sorry. I'd rather not risk it when it'll be two on four." He answered, Danny tilting his head.

"Two on four? I thought it was three on three." He said, Judy turning to face the two male mammals.

"Nope. Me and Nick are going to be facing the first half of the Teams, and you will be helping them. To make it a little more fair, of course." Judy said, smiling.

"Right..." Danny said, shaking his head. "I knew I could grate you guys sometimes, but I didn't think it was that bad." He said, Nick arching an eyebrow.

"Actually, Judy just wanted to see how good you were." He said, Danny scoffing.

"Right. Sure she did." He said, Judy narrowing her eyes at the teasing tone.

"Hey, it's just a friendly fight. Nothing personal." She said, though Danny could see she was looking forward to it.

"Right..." He said, rolling his eyes playfully and starting when he felt a paw placed against his back. He glanced over and saw Nick and Judy had the same problem, though Judy had a garrote gently encircling her throat.

"Dead, dead, and dead." He heard somebody say, the paws at his and Nick's backs disappearing, as well as the garrote around Judy's neck.

"That's not funny Fantasma." Nick said, turning and looking at the Black Panther.

"Hey, Is is the team leader." He said, gesturing to the Rabbit who Judy was glaring at. Is turned and glared at Fantasma, mouth open in surprise. He shrugged, a 'what do you want me to do' look on his face. "Though it was Lumi's idea. She thought it would be funny to see your surprise when we managed to sneak up on you." He added, Lumi turning and staring at Fantasma, both her and Is placing a paw on a hip and jutting the hip outwards, though they each did opposite hips.

"I swear their resemblance to us is uncanny." Nick whispered, looking at Judy. "When we first became friends, when we thought our bond was just platonic." He explained, Judy having given him a curious look.

"I can kinda see it..." She said, tilting her head and looking at Lumi and Is. She absentmindedly scratched her neck, the teacher part of her proud that Beta had managed to sneak up on them. The competitive part of her just wanted to best them.

"Hey Is, you hear Naomi brag about how quick she'd take down Jonah?" Fantasma suddenly asked, a mischievous smirk on his muzzle.

"Oh yeah. And Vasily said he'd take Nikita down in a second!" Is said, Lumi glancing at Judy and Nick with a nervous chuckle. Judy's right eye twitched slightly, and Nick just looked annoyed.

"We didn't catch all of the recruits' names. Could you tell us who they are?" Judy asked, barely managing to keep her friendly tone.

"Two members of Gamma Team. Siberian Tigers. Naomi is buff as hell, too. And Vaz could kill you before you could react, if he wanted to. We call Naomi "the Spartan" because she's absolutely terrifying. Sometimes "the Valkyrie" since it's what Vaz has called her from time to time. Vaz is just Vaz. Nobody really gave him a nickname besides that." Fantasma explained, shrugging like it was all that was important. "The other guy is...well, nobody really knows him. We've tried socializing, but he just seems to blow it off and ditch first chance he gets."

"I think the Spartan and her escort are here." Is suddenly said, ears twitching as they swiveled towards the door

"I hurt you think so lowly of me, Sestra." An accented voice said, Judy turning to see two Siberian Tigers standing there.

"Vaz...how many times do I have to remind you I don't understand Russian?" Is asked, turning to face the Tiger who had spoken. "So either speak Common or speak a language I know." She said, crossing her arms.

"I told you Sestra just means Sister, so I don't understand what the problem is." The Tiger, who Judy assumed was Vasily, said. He looked at Judy and Nick. "Ah, Maestro, Veterano! How good to see you again!" He said cheerfully, Judy nodding once. She was glad she'd had Nick and Danny put their masks on before they entered, and had been in the process of lowering her own when Beta had snuck up on them. The nod finished the movement, the mask sliding into place and obscuring the features it hadn't been, namely her mouth and nose.

"You must be Vasily. And you must be Naomi." She said, gesturing to each Tiger in question.

"You would be correct. And last name is Beloi. Hers is Senztke." Vaz said, gesturing to Naomi, who stood next to him.

"Maybe Beloi in near future, eh Vaz?" Naomi asked, glancing at Vaz with a satisfied smirk as his ears lay down and he blushed. Judy couldn't help but laugh. "That is, if it is allowed." She added, a sheepish glance at Judy and Nick.

"Of course. Besides, you'd probably do it anyway and the mess that would create isn't worth it." Judy answered, shaking her head with a glance at Nick. When Naomi looked unsure, Judy sighed. "I think...if you want it, then you deserve it. You'll need all the happiness you can get with this life." She said, Naomi nodding to show she understood.

"Hey Is, you mentioned a third mammal..." Nick trailed off, looking around.

"Ah, right. He is coming right...about...now." Is said, a mammal in rich brown Brotherhood garb walking through the door.

"Considering you made a dramatic pause before you finished your sentence, I expected them to fall from the ceiling or something." Nick said, earning a chuckle from the mystery mammal.

"Amarini mo kutsujoku." The mammal said, Judy looking at Nick.

"Too humiliating." He said, Judy nodding.

"Anata wa, honyu dobutsu nodo no yona shurui ga arimasu ka?" Danny asked, not recognizing his overall size or shape.

"Watashi wa seburudesu." The mammal answered, Nick huffing in amazement.

"Anata wa zutopia de oku no saburu ga hyoji sa remasen." Nick said, the mammal looking taken aback at Nick's fluency. Judy, with an annoyed huff, looked at Danny.

"He's a Sable. Nick just said you don't see many of them in Zootopia." He explained, Judy nodding.

"Watashi wa Sebasuchan gozen." The Sable said, Danny looking at Judy to find her possessing an annoyed look.

"His name is Sebastian, by the way." Danny said, Judy nodding.

"Nick, could you tell him I sad it's nice to meet him?" Judy asked, Danny and Nick locking gazes for a moment, Danny muffling his laughter.

"Amarini mo Veterano hajimemashite." Sebastian said, Judy looking at Nick. He slowly lowered himself until he was eye level with her.

"He says it's nice to meet you too." He said, Judy's eyes widening. She turned to face the marten, embarrassment clear.

"I'm so sorry Sebastian! I didn't realize..." She trailed off her apology when Sebastian made a strange wheezing sound and doubled over. She looked at Nick in worry, though he looked like he was trying not to laugh. It was only after a full minute had passed that she realized Sebastian was _laughing._ She blushed in further embarrassment, made even worse by the fact that she could hear Beta and the rest of Gamma struggling not to burst out laughing as well.

After another five full minutes had passed, during which Delta Team and Epsilon Team arrived and they burst out laughing when the situation was explained, everybody finally recouped enough for conversation.

"I'd have thought you would know better than to judge a mammal based on certain little things like what language they prefer to speak, considering." Is said, Judy sighing.

"How was I supposed to know he knew Common? He didn't even say anything to hint at it!" She exclaimed, internally fuming.

"I'll accept the blame for that, but forgive me if I prefer my native tongue over something so...complex." Sebastian said, Judy shrugging.

"I'll give you leeway there, but you could have at least let it be known you knew Common." Judy said, crossing her arms. Sebastian winced, though he chuckled afterwards.

"Your embarrassment was definitely worth it, though." He said, chuckling some more.

"Right. I'm sure it was." She said, glaring at the Reclute behind her who were still stifling some laughter. "Let's just get ready for the Holo Training." She said, walking past Sebastian with a grumble. Nick followed, barely sparing the marten anything more than a glance.

"Ignore them. They can act oddly sometimes." Danny said, Sebastian giving him a grateful look. "Do you uh...have anybody back home?" Danny asked after the other recruits walked past, Sebastian digging around in his outfit. After a few seconds worth of rummaging, he pulled a photo out, handing it to Danny.

"Her name's Alexa. Though she prefers Lex." He said, pointing to a Ferret in the picture.

"Where is this?" Danny asked, not recognizing the location.

"We went to Bouvet Island on vacation once. She wanted to see a whaling station there." He said, Danny arching an eyebrow. Sebastian shrugged, taking the picture back. "Hey, it's not like I could think of a better thing to do for the trip. And besides, we planned on going there some day anyway, so it seemed like the best choice." He said, Danny nodding.

"Well, thanks for that." Danny said, smiling slightly and walking after the other mammals. Sebastian hung back for a few seconds, smiled to himself, and followed.

Danny entered a room which was about half full of tech, while Judy, Nick, and Beta Team were busy situating themselves in recliner-like chairs. He assumed that's where they'd control their virtual selves from. He walked over and laid down on one, lowering the helmet that was suspended over the chair to his head.

 _Virtual World Because I Got Tired of Having No Idea What To Write. Also Nick's POV_

Nick looked around his current location, listening for any of the Reclute or Danny. Him and Judy had decided to separate to clear an area, and so far it was working fine. No contacts yet.

"And here I thought you were alert." Someone said, Nick turning and raising his Phantom Blade. He lowered it when he saw it was Judy.

"And I thought this was a combat scenario. You don't make a map large enough for a full scale war when you only have six mammals participating." He said, shaking his head and lowering his Phantom Blade. He turned to look back out the window he was watching.

"Danny's down, by the way." Judy said, Nick turning back around.

"What!? How?" He asked, blinking in surprise.

"How do you think?" She asked, flicking her Hidden Blade.

"You didn't report it." He said, moving out of the window's line of sight, but still able to see out it.

"Didn't think it necessary." Judy said, shrugging.

"And that's what will end your career." He said, unable to say what he meant. When Judy didn't say anything, he turned around to see she was gone. "Great." He muttered, sighing loudly.

It was about five minutes later that he heard a clinking sound. He turned, seeing something small and round bounce on the floor.

"Oh you've got to be kidding me." He said, turning and leaping out the window. He landed and immediately scrambled to get his back to the wall below the window. He heard a _whump_ followed by the sound of shrapnel hitting concrete.

"Well this is just too easy, Maestro." Somebody said, Nick looking up to see Lumi standing above him, rolling her head on her neck.

With a faint clicking sound, Nick activated his Phantom Blade and fired it, the blade sinking into Lumi's thigh. The Arctic Fox gasped, paws reaching for the blade currently three inches inside her leg when Nick brought up his hind paws and kicked out, sending Lumi backwards and allowing him to get to his paws.

"Too easy, huh?" He asked, walking forward. Lumi stood slowly, just in time for Nick to deliver a punch and send her tumbling to the ground again.

He didn't expect the paw to his groin, which sent him to his knees in pain. He watched as Lumi stood, looked at the wound in her thigh, then raised her wrist. With a flick, her Hidden Blade slid out, Nick glancing around in slight fear. He had not expected Lumi to fight alone, so his concentration had slipped looking for Is or Fantasma.

"Game over." Lumi said, throwing her paw forward. Nick, with reflexes and speed he didn't realize he possessed, caught her wrist, stopping the blade inches from his eye.

"One: I see your point." He said, earning a groan from Lumi. "Two: It's...over time." He said, twisting the wrist and letting it go, then ducking under a swipe and coming up behind her. He grabbed the same wrist and brought it behind Lumi, earning a yelp of pain from the Arctic Fox.

He pulled, spinning Lumi around and bringing up a hind paw. He kicked out, sending Lumi tumbling back and to the ground again. She turned the fall into a backflip, landing in a defensive posture despite the wound in her leg.

"Not so easy now, huh?" He asked, earning a smile of satisfaction from the Arctic Fox.

"I'll be honest. Still not living up to the expectations me and Is had of you. And if I'm correct, Is should be about done with Jonah soon as well." She said, Nick's eyes widening.

With a growl, he dashed forward, barely seeing the smirk make it's way to Lumi's muzzle before his gaze lowered, barely catching the flash of steel before it disappeared, followed by searing pain in his abdomen. He gasped, realizing she'd baited him into a trap. He noticed the grenade belt at her hip, then he let his head drop.

"Still too easy." She said, sliding her Hidden Blade out of Nick's abdomen and retreating a few steps. Nick raised his head, teeth flashing into a smile. There was also a pin stuck between two of his teeth. She looked down, horror overcoming her feel of triumph as she saw a grenade on her hip missing it's pin and spoon.

"Dumb Fox." Nick said, closing his eyes as Lumi's belt detonated, ending both of their simulations.

 _Judy's POV_

Judy worked her way through the bushes and trees that made up the digital forest that surrounded the simulation's city. So far she had yet to come across anything resembling a trail. So either both Lumi and Is were in the city or-

He train of thought was cut off at the sound of an explosion. She looked toward's the sound, dread filling her. Nick didn't carry fragmentation grenades in real life nor the simulations. Ever. That meant he was in trouble.

She took off in a sprint, determined to find out what had exploded. She didn't even see the loop of wire hanging from the tree, only felt the sudden pressure against her throat as she was lifted off her feet. She flailed, one paw struggling with the loop while the other extended outwards. She extended her Hidden Blade, bringing it back and slicing through the wire suspending her. She fell to the ground, then brought the blade closer to herself. She worked the tip under the wire, then twisted the blade. The wire snapped with an audible sound and she sat there, gasping, for a solid ten minutes before she heart pawsteps approaching.

"So you survived the trap. Impressive." Is said, Judy looking up to face the Hare. "We're the last two for this round. Let's make it interesting, shall we?" Is asked, Judy blinking. Lumi and Nick were...dead? Was that what the explosion was, a suicide charge? Or Nick taking Lumi with him?

"Very well." She rasped out, nodding and raising herself off the ground. She fiddled with her bracers' straps for a moment before unlatching them, letting the items clatter to the ground. She did the same with her Short Sword and belt. Is did the same, rolling her shoulders and getting into a fighting stance. Judy entered her own stance and they circled each other, staying the same distance apart.

Is made the first more, dashing forward and throwing a solid punch into Judy's chest. Judy took it, only letting out a grunt as she grabbed Is' wrist and pulled her forward. As Is stumbled towards her, Judy stepped to the side and clotheslined her, sending her tumbling onto her back. She took a few steps back as Is picked herself up off the ground, turning and entering her fighting stance again.

"No Fox to save you now, Veterano. Let's see how you do on your own." Is said, extending her paw and making a 'come get me' gesture.

"I grew up with two hundred and seventy-five brothers and sisters. I think I can handle one Hare." Judy said, dashing forward and sending a right hook at Is's head. Is blocked it, Judy grabbing the arm and raising it. She spun, bringing it down on her shoulder and breaking it at the elbow. Is grunted in pain, pulling her arm free from Judy's grasp and retreating a few steps.

Judy shifted her feet, feeling something touch her foot. She looked down for a second, curious. It was one of Is' garrotes, made of ultra-thin wire for digging into she looked up Is was gone, as was one of her bracers.

Glancing around and straining her ears, Judy bent down and picked up the garrote, hoping it would be enough for what she wanted to do. She held onto it's handles, getting a feel for the grips. She nodded, content, and folded the wire into a large loop. Then, she waited.

After thirty minutes, she growled angrily and began walking, all too aware Is may have laid a trap for her somewhere.

"This is fun, you know. Never thought I'd be fighting you." Is said, Judy turning in an attempt to find her.

With a sound of crashing through foliage, Is sprinted out of the shrubs behind her, arm extended in an attempt to skewer her with the extended Hidden Blade. Judy turned, raised the wire, and leaned her head to the side. She heard Is gasp in shock, and that turned to a scream of pain as Judy pulled on the garrote's grips strong enough to cut off the Hare's arm at the elbow. Judy brought up a leg and kicked Is in the side, sending her tumbling through the undergrowth until she stopped three meters away. Judy looked at the arm to see the Hidden Blade still extended. She smirked as an idea ran through her head.

Is slowly stood, holding his bleeding stump, to see Judy holding his arm like a spear, the Hidden Blade extended and pointing at him.

"Oh, that's clever." He said, smiling slightly as Judy threw the arm. His simulation ended as the Hidden Blade impacted with his eye.

 _Real World_

Judy stood from the chair she had been sitting in, shaking her head to clear it and blinking afterwards.

"Jonah! That was amazing!" She heard somebody shout, and she looked to her right to see Nick standing there. "I didn't even think Is' wires were that thin!" He exclaimed, an amazed huff leaving him.

"Neither did I. Well done, Veterano." She heard Is say, and she turned to face him. The Hare had a proud look, as if he was the one trying to teach her something.

"I'm honestly more amazed Nikita managed to sneak one over on me. I wouldn't have thought she would pull a pin on my belt with her teeth." Lumi said as she walked into Judy's line of sight.

"So that's what happened." She said, chuckling at Nick as he shrugged.

"My simulation was about to end, so I figured I'd go out with a bang." He said, earning a collective groan from the assembled mammals. "Hey wait a minute. How'd Fantasma die?" He asked, looking at the Black Panther, who stood behind and to the right of Danny.

"I uh...was doing parkour and...I tripped." He said with a sheepish look, smiling awkwardly. "Splat."

"I'm sure that was terrifying." Nick said, barely suppressing a shudder. He couldn't imagine what it would feel like to fall from a great height like that.

"Wouldn't recommend it. Unless you like doing that kind of thing for the thrill." Fantasma said, shrugging. "It was scary, yes, but the fact I wasn't actually going to die helped a little." He said, Nick arching an eyebrow. He glanced at Fantasma's chair, then at the Black Panther.

"Oh really?" He asked, making Judy glance at Fantasma's chair. There was a yellow stain.

"Ew." She said, backing away from it.

"You try falling from twenty stories. See how it affects your bladder." Fantasma retorted, pointing at Judy.

"Yeah...no." Judy said, shaking her head. "No way."

"Didn't I hear you say you always wanted to go skydiving?" Nick asked, Judy looking at him with an annoyed expression.

"That's different." She said, crossing her arms. "I know I'm safe in one scenario."

"Actually, parachutes can still malfunction." Lumi said, Judy glaring at her. "Right. Sorry."

"It's fine." Judy said, then looking up at the observation deck. She waved, watching as the glass cleared. "Gamma! Your turn!" She shouted, waving them down. "Somebody hurry and clean Fantasma's chair. We don't have all day."

 _Virtual World_

Judy dodged a swipe of Danny's Kyoketsu Shogei, Nick leaping over her back and kicking Danny back a few paces. She drew her Short Sword, realizing it'd been a while since she'd used it.

"I'd say this isn't fair, us outnumbering you, but...well, it is kinda unfair." Nick said, ducking under a swing by Danny and bringing a paw up into Danny's gut.

"I can still give you hell." Danny said, gasping slightly from Nick's punch. He dodged another punch and wrapped the Kyoketsu Shogei's chain around his arm, yanking on it and flipping Nick onto his back. Danny raised his Kyoketsu Shogei, preparing to descend it.

Judy ran up and kicked him across the snout, sending him stumbling away. Nick picked himself up, drawing a throwing knife in each paw. With a flick of his wrists, four knives slid out from behind the firsts in each paw. He threw them, Danny dodging under them.

Unfortunately, this gave Judy the opening she needed.

Judy charged, leaping over a paw swipe. Danny barely caught a flash of steel coming towards his neck before his simulation ended.

"Decapitation? Didn't think you were gonna go that far, Carrots." Nick said, crossing his arms.

"Well, it just kinda happened." She said, shrugging innocently and wiping the blood off her Short Sword.

"Alright. Let's go find Gam-" Nick stopped, titling his head in curiosity at the sound of beeping on the other side of the door. His eyes widened as he realized what was happening. He turned to face Judy, panic clear in his eyes. "Get back!" He shouted, the door exploding off it's hinges and impacting against him with an audible and sickening _crunch_.

"And I was hoping for a challenge." Vasily said, stepping through the door. Naomi and Sebastian followed him, Judy staring in surprise. She didn't know the Reclute had had access to their explosives during their gearing.

Gamma Team quickly surrounded her, though she still had her Short Sword in hand, having been in the process of raising it to sheath it.

"Sorry, Veterano. But the point of training is to show how good you are, and improve on your faults." Sebastian said, gesturing to where the door had impacted the wall, and currently lay on the ground. Judy barely spared the growing pool of blood a second of her time when she glanced at it. "But...I think we're good." Sebastian said, Judy feeling a smile tug at her face.

"I know one thing that can be worked on." She said, her gaze resting on Nick's left paw. It'd twitched.

"What's that?" Sebastian asked, him and the two Tigers missing the sound of the door moving.

"You're too cocky." Nick said, Sebastian turning. With a faintly audible sound, Nick fired his Phantom Blade. Sebastian made a choking noise as his paws reached for his throat, slowly sinking to the ground. When he finally fell, Judy saw the blade Nick had fired sticking from the Sable's throat.

"Well. That complicates things." Vaz said, Judy taking the opening and sending her Short Sword through Naomi's leg, separating it from her body at the knee. As she fell, Judy sent another swing her way, disconnecting her digital self's head from her shoulder. "And that just makes it worse." She heard Vaz say, right before a _click_ reached her ears.

"What..." She trailed off, her gaze resting on the smoke grenade as it flew towards her. She batted it aside, flinching when it detonated. She saw Nick having the same issue, and faintly heard rustling to her left. When she looked, she saw Sebastian give an off-pawed salute before stepping over the edge of the building. She barely saw the detonator in his paws before she felt the building begin to shake.

"Who stocked the Sim with C4?" Nick asked, Judy looking at him.

"I thought it was you." She said, Nick shaking his head. "Huh."

"Let's just focus on getting out of here." Nick said, looking around. The building began to tilt.

"Emergency swing?" Judy asked, Nick tilting his head, not understanding. "Do what I do." She said, rolling her eyes and running towards the window.

"Carrots, I don't think that's a good idea." He said, sighing when Judy ignored him and leaped. He rolled his eyes and followed, curious what she was going to do.

Judy calculated their rate of descent quickly, then nodded to herself. She aimed her Rope Launcher and fired, setting it to Swing mode. She saw Nick's hook follow hers, and felt relieved he had trusted her enough for this. The lines went taut, Judy swinging towards the window of the opposite building. She crashed through it, and immediately began going through cubicles the building held, apparently supposed to be a rundown office building. She heard Nick crashing through cubicles somewhere to her right, though she then realized that they were approaching the opposite wall.

"Fire again!" She shouted, hoping Nick heard her. The sound of a Rope Launcher being fired reached her ears, immediately followed by a yelp of pain from Nick. She fired her Rope Launcher, and she found out why Nick had yelped. It hurt like hell, suddenly stopping with all that force exerted on your shoulder.

"I...I think we won!" Nick shouted, Judy unable to answer. After a few moments, she heard Nick walking towards her. She raised her head up, giving him a thumbs up despite the flaring pain in her shoulder.

"We have the best luck, I swear." Judy said, Nick kneeling beside her.

"Depends on what you call luck. I'm starting to think we make our own luck from situations stacked against us in oddly unfavorable ways." Nick said, shrugging and collapsing onto his rear next to Judy.

"Probably. Alright, let's just end this already." She said, Nick nodding. They opened the menu for ending the Sim, closing it as the world began to deconstruct.

 _Real World_

Judy sat up from the chair, seeing Nick sit up as well in her periphery.

"You two just improvise the oddest things to succeed, don't you?" Naomi asked, earning a shrug from Judy.

"Well, you know what they say about Rabbits and luck..." Judy said, earning a friendly scoff from the Tiger.

"Alright. Let's pack it up, guys. It's getting late and I don't want Jonah here to miss his monthly check in with his family. I swear they worry too much." Nick said, playfully and carefully tapping Judy on the shoulder.

"Nothing wrong with that. It is a big, dangerous city after all." Naomi said, shrugging. "Especially for Rabbits." She added, chuckling slightly.

"Ah, don't tease them too much, Naomi. It's been rough day." Vaz said, smiling at the Bunny and Fox. "Though I'm sure they have a remedy for that, themselves." He said with a suggestive wink, Judy looking away. Despite the mask, she still felt like they would see her blushing if she didn't.

"And you say I tease them." Naomi said, rolling her eyes and walking out the door. Vaz followed, looking at Nick and Judy and shrugging.

"Today was fun. Can't wait for tomorrow." Judy said, Nick groaning.

"Ugh. I hate teaching newbies parkour." He said, Judy rolling her eyes.

 **Judy and Nick's Apartment**

Judy entered the apartment, Nick closing the door as he entered behind her.

"I'll be in the bedroom, getting it ready to sleep it after last night. You call your family and let them know you're okay. Even though they would know if something happened." He said, unable to keep the snarky comment in.

"They just like to be safe. You can't blame them for being cautious, at least." She said, Nick shrugging and scampering off to tidy up the bed. She sat down at the table, fished her phone from her pocket, and leaned it against a fruit bowl they kept on it. It was empty, but it was just mainly a decoration anyway.

After a few rings, the call went through on MuzzleTime, rewarding her with a video of her parents.

"Hey, Judy! Glad to see you're okay!" Her mother said, Judy barely making out two figures in the background.

"Hey, mom! Is it okay of I talk to those two real quick?" She asked, paw pointing behind her. Bonnie turned and saw who she meant. She called them over, handing off the phone.

"Hey, sis!" Her brother said, waving.

"Is that being Judy? Hello!" She heard a voice say, Judy waving slightly.

"Hey Bailey! Hey Riina!"

 **Boom, cliffhanger! I'm going to turn into RiverSpirit456 at this rate if I keep writing cliffhangers for no reason. You guys may recognize the name Riina from an Author's Note in an earlier chapter, and if not, she along with Bailey are characters in the fic Sounds of the Heart on , written by the _very_ talented Selaxes. I recommend their fics for multiple reasons, though...actually, I can't think of something to make a friendly jest about. That's good! I have been given permission from the author themselves to use Bailey and Riina in this fic, and feel free to ask them yourselves if you don't believe me. I will probably end up writing them OOC a small bit because I just end up doing it even when I don't try to, even for my own characters, so I thought I'd warn fans of their work right now. It should be pretty obvious, but if not, any events involving Bailey and Riina in this story are obviously non-canon to Sounds of the Heart unless otherwise stated by Selaxes themselves. And to Selaxes, who told me they will be checking this story out, if I write Bailey or Riina too OOC for your liking, let me know. I now you said I could "have fun" with them((a horrible idea, really)), but I don't want people to be confused why they act completely different from your story if I make them curious enough to check it out or have read it previously. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter, because there was a surprising amount on pain involved in writing this for some reason, and I'll see you guys...next update. Word Count: 5,793**

 **Other Languages**

 **Sebastian: Too humiliating**

 **Danny: What kind of mammal are you?**

 **Sebastian: I am a Sable**

 **Nick: You don't see many of those in Zootopia**

 **Sebastian: I am Sebastian**

 **Sebastian: It's nice to meet you too, Veterano**


	7. Visiting the Burrows

**Hey guys Price here and welcome to chapter six of Assassins of Zootopia, or otherwise known as Zootopian Assassins. I know I said this chapter would be the parkour Holo Training...but I realized I know next to nothing about parkour except it looks awesome when pros do it. So enjoy another world building chapter where Judy and Nick visit Bunny Burrow because my plot bunnies told me to do it! Also, since I didn't mention it in any other Author's Note, but the reason I made Nick a polyglot is...well, you mean to tell me that a street hustler _wouldn't_ capitalize on foreign tourists? And to rectify a possible continuity error, bold text is only Vulpine when it gets mentioned as being said in Vulpine. Sorry if the bunch of bold text during Danny's tirade in chapter three confused anyone since I had previously used it to signify Vulpine. And to people who review and comment, do not be afraid to be brutally honest with me. Don't flame, but don't be afraid to point out flaws. I promise I can handle it. That goes for you too, Selaxes. Whenever you see this. Anyway, enough of that, I think it's time to get...onto the story!**

 _One PM_

Judy stepped off the train, Nick following her as she navigated the bunnies that crowded the platform. He ignored the stares from some of the other Rabbits that's hadn't met him and made sure to smile with his mouth closed to those who waved and greeted him.

"Hey! Judy, Nick!" Her brother, Bailey Hopps, shouted, waving them over. They made their way to him and the truck he stood by, Nick ignoring a glare from a Bunny he almost kicked on accident.

"Bailey! How goes things?" Judy asked, looking around for Riina.

"Good. Great, actually." Bailey answered, smiling brightly. "Riina's currently helping one of our siblings out with a few math problems. I think it was Leonard. Or maybe Allison." Bailey added, a thoughtful expression on his face as he thought it over. He shrugged, opening the truck door and clambering inside. Nick opened Judy's door, took a whiff of the cabin, and immediately hopped inside the bed. The slide on the rear window opened, Judy looking out at him with a concerned expression.

"I know you guys are mates now and stuff, but even Judy isn't this bad." Nick said, Bailey blushing at Nick's comment.

"I didn't realize it smelled that bad. Nobody else commented on it, so I thought it was fine." Bailey said, barely resisting the urge to look at his feet in embarrassment.

"You realize he's just teasing you right?" Judy asked, Bailey nodding. "But Foxes also have a better sense of smell than Rabbits. So maybe a few more days and it'll air out. Or you could find more open locations." She said, Bailey just looking at her with an annoyed look. Seems like sibling teasing had less of an effect.

"So, you guys hear about that whole thing about the Warehouse Massacre a few months ago? Who could do something so...horrible? I mean, yeah I know the world isn't all perfect, but I could never imagine something like that happening." Bailey said, Judy looking at Nick in the rearview mirror. "What'd they say killed that Rhino in the upper room again? Some kind of explosion?"

"They determined it was a Flashbang shoved into his mouth. Honestly, I'd say I pitied the cleanup crew, but seeing as Swinely owes me fifty bucks, I find it hard to." Nick answered, shrugging.

"Still, that seems way more brutal than was actually necessary." Bailey said, as if he couldn't imagine how something like it could happen.

"It's possible the Rhino was beating the assailant and it was a move born of desperation. But, seeing as we have no idea who did it, we can't find that out. It's just a guess, but it's a guess Chief Bogo thinks most likely." Judy said, sighing.

"I just wish they'd catch the things responsible." Bailey said, Judy starting at his terminology.

"By things, you mean the mammals who did it, right?" Judy asked, Bailey sighing.

"I don't know. I don't think it's possible any mammal could do something so horrible. Only a monster has the capability to do what the criminal did." Bailey answered, frowning slightly.

"Right...so, we met this really nice Arctic Fox a month or two ago. She's from Finland too, apparently. We were thinking maybe we could have her and Riina meet up? I mean, I know Riina loves it here and all, but I'm sure she would appreciate having somebody from her home country to talk to. Apparently, get this, her name is Lumi and she was born in a snowstorm. Lumi means Snow in Finnish, and she's an Arctic Fox." Nick said, trying to defuse the gloomy mood talking about the Warehouse Massacre had brought up.

"So...she's an Arctic Fox named Snow who was born in a snowstorm?" Bailey asked, unsure if he had gotten everything right,

"Yeah." Judy answered, nodding. Bailey chuckled, shaking his head in amusement.

"Oh, I'm sure that's garnered a few laughs." Bailey said, Nick and Judy sharing a look.

"Surprisingly, no. We never actually thought about it until now." Nick said, making a sound of confusion and amusement.

"Knowing you, I'm surprised." Bailey said, earning a mock gasp of shock from Nick.

"I would never stoop so low as to make fun of somebody for such a little reason, even in a friendly way." Nick said, pointedly turning away from the two Bunnies in mock anger.

"Hey, what does Swinely owe you fifty bucks for?" Judy asked, just realizing she hadn't brought it up yet.

"He ate a bag of blueberries I was saving." Nick said, Judy arching an eyebrow. "It was a big bag."

"I bet." Judy said, looking at Bailey. He shrugged, unsure how to proceed with that line of conversation.

It was about five minutes later that they reached the Hopps burrow, Nick wrinkling his nose slightly as he passed by the truck's door in his walk to the door.

"Maybe put down the suitcase? You know the Clusterfluffle is probably waiting on the other side." Judy said next to him, Nick looking at her for a moment in thought before setting the suitcase next to him, out of the way of the door.

"I'm ready." He said, Judy opening the door and quickly stepping to the side. Just as they suspected.

Nick was swept off his feet as a large tide of gray and brown and white swarmed him, asking him questions about himself, his relationship with Judy, if he brought them any candy, and if they could play with his tail. They always seemed to love his tail for some reason.

"Alright, kits. Let Nick up." Judy said, watching as the mound slowly began to lose mass and deform into various bunny kits. When Nick could stand, he found himself being clung to by a few stragglers who refused to let go.

"Hey Allison. Isn't Riina supposed to be helping you with math or something?" Nick asked, looking at a brown bunny kit hanging from his outstretched arm.

"No, that's Leonard." Allison said, looking below her to see if she could make the drop. Nick smiled warmly and squatted down, letting her down safely and watching her scamper into the burrow after her siblings.

"It never gets old." He said, voice gentle as he smiled.

"You're such a softie for kits." Judy said teasingly, nudging him with her hip lightly.

"You know why." He said, Judy nodding her agreement. "But, today is meant to be a happy day. Let's not ruin it with sad backstories." He said, walking into the burrow with his suitcase, greeting the kits again as they waited for him to come in to continue asking him questions.

"What's he talking about?" Bailey asked, startling Judy from her observation.

"He'll...tell you when he's ready, I suppose." Judy said, Bailey nodding understandingly. They entered the burrow, Bailey going downstairs to retrieve Riina and Leonard. If the kit found out Nick had arrived and he hadn't been told immediately, he'd likely throw a fit or something that would equally show his displeasure. Like clinging to Nick all day, like the second time he'd found out hours after they'd arrived.

"NICK!" A very, very high pitched voice shouted, the sound of running up stairs filling the hallway.

"Oh boy." Nick said, setting his suitcase aside and bracing himself. "Leonard!" He shouted warmly, watching as the Rabbit in question leap up the last step and feeling him crash into him. He fell back. Hard. "You really need to learn to slow down. When you get bigger, somebody may get hurt." He said, though he meant it in a teasing way.

"Sorry. You just have such a fluffy tail." Leonard said, cheeks puffing out in a pout.

"You mean...this tail?" Nick asked, his tail's tip poking over his shoulder. It moved to come around his side, tickling Leonard on the nose.

Judy watched from the other end of the hallway, amusement lighting her gaze.

"It always amazes me just how good he is with kits." She heard a familiar voice say, Judy turning to see her mother standing there.

"I wish I could tell you why he loves kits so much. But he'll do it in his own time. When he's ready." Judy said, smiling warmly.

"I can see why you love him." Bonnie said, moving to stand by her.

"It's hard not to, really. He was annoying at first, of course. But he grows on you after a while." She said, barely catching the glance Bonnie gave her.

"I'm sure he does." She said, giving Judy a small wink.

"Okaaaaay. Well, fun talk, really. But me and Nick need to get our stuff to our room so...talk to you later!" She said, dashing down the hallway and grabbing Nick, telling Leonard they'd be right back, and pulling him down the stairs.

"Wow. That kind of talk has that effect on even Judy." Bailey said from behind Bonnie, the Bunny turning to face him.

"You'd be surprised." She said, walking past him. "Oh! Make sure to air out the truck some time soon." She said, leaving a blushing Bailey behind as she walked off laughing.

 _Five PM_

Nick sat long-ways on the couch in the living room, fiddling with his Phantom Blade in an effort to increase it's launch force and range. Everybody else was currently doing something outside, so he was okay to be doing this. He wasn't a tech expert, but surely this wouldn't be too hard, right?

"What are you doing?" He heard somebody ask. He looked up to see Riina looking at him from the doorway. Luckily, she couldn't see the bracer from her position, so he discretely hid it behind him.

"Just...thinking about things." He said, looking down in thought. He pulled his feet closer to him, inviting her to sit down and talk for a moment. She seemed to hesitate, as if she was unsure. After a moment, she walked over and sat down.

"I am being glad you came to visit." She said, hugging her legs close to herself.

"I wouldn't give up visiting Judy's family for anything but Judy herself, you know that." He said, her tone making him think she didn't think he visited that often, or at least seemed bored sometimes.

"I know. It is just...you two have such dangerous jobs. And what happened in that warehouse..." She trailed off, Nick realizing what she wanted to say. She was worried that something would happen and make Bailey and herself sad. He smiled warmly at that.

"What happened in that warehouse may have been a one time thing. It's possible it was some kind of gang war or something." Nick said, shrugging in an effort to conceal the flash of regret he felt.

"I do not know much about gangs, but I think they are using guns in these kinds of things." She said, Nick remaining silent.

"I don't know, then. It's the best guess we have. We have no other ideas what could have gone down." Nick said, earning a knowing look from the vixen.

"It is being obvious you know something. You know that, I am sure. I will not be doing the prying, though. It is your secret to keep." Riina said, Nick looking at her with a mix of surprise and gratitude. That got a small laugh from the Platinum Fox, at least. He assumed the look was a odd combination when applied.

"I can't say much, just that...well, you ever go to Zootopia, and you come across anybody wearing these symbols?" He said, showing her a drawing he had made of the Templar Cross and Brotherhood symbol. "Don't affiliate with anybody that has either of these symbols. We think they could be responsible for the Warehouse Massacre, and I don't want you to be hurt. You see any mammals with these symbols, you tell me. I'll get word to the Chief, and we'll do what we can to bring them in." He said, getting a nod in return as an answer. "Good. Anything else?" He asked, Riina shaking her head.

"I'll be sure to keep your advice in mind." Riina said, standing up and walking out. He sighed in relief, listening for the door to close before digging behind him for his Phantom Blade. He grabbed it and placed it on his lap, looking at it closely for any way to increase it's launch force. Seeing none that were obvious, he let out an annoyed sigh and stood up.

"What's that?" Somebody asked, Nick's paw twitching to cover the Assassin symbol before turning to face the mammal. He was surprised to see Bailey standing in the doorway.

"It's a project I'm working on. For self defense." He said, regretting the fact he had to lie to Bailey. Bailey looked like he wanted to say something else, though he refrained for some reason.

"Something on your mind, Squirt?" Nick asked, moving around to lean against the couch.

"It just seems a little...ineffective." Bailey said, Nick tilting his head. He'd expected something a little more awkward to answer.

"Maybe. But it's quiet, and that's important if you have an intruder and you don't want them to know you know they're there." Nick said, shrugging nonchalantly.

"Makes sense. Well, see you later, I guess." Bailey said, turning and walking out the door. Nick let out a relieved breath and walked downstairs, intent on placing the bracer up and in a secure location. He shouldn't have brought his gear, but Judy had insisted just in case.

After securing his gear in a place he thought unlikely it would be found in, he exited the room and walked back upstairs, only to find Judy waiting for him with an arched eyebrow.

"I would have figured you'd be more alert." She said, Nick wincing at her tone.

"I managed to convince him it was a personal self defense project. Neither know." He said, leaning against the wall. "And if I recall correctly, it was _your_ idea to bring out **stuff**." He added, speaking the last part in Vulpine in hope that if anybody was listening they would be unable to know what he meant.

" **Maybe. But you could have waited until tonight**." Judy said, Nick shrugging.

"I got bored and didn't feel like going outside. Long as nobody finds out, we're good." He said, Judy sighing and gaining an annoyed expression.

"Gideon's here. Brought blueberry pie, too." She said, Nick's eyes widening in joy.

"Yes!" He said, walking past her quickly in an effort to get to the baker before he left. Judy rolled her eyes and smiled, annoyed but also quite amused by Nick's antics. She sighed, looking over her shoulder to make sure Nick had gone outside.

"You can come out now, mom." She said, a door opening not five feet down the hall from where she stood. When her mother came out, she glared.

"Sorry. But you know I worry about your job and everything. To be honest, I was actually doing something when I heard you and Nick talking, so it's not like I was actively spying on you." She said, Judy not letting her glare up.

"I know. But I'm fine, honestly. Nothing to worry about." She said, moving to walk out.

"I know about the Brotherhood, you know." Her mother suddenly said, Judy freezing in place. Judy sighed, wishing she had more time to make up an explanation.

"How?" She asked, knowing if she tried to deny it, her mother may bring it up later in a less...ideal setting. Bonnie scoffed, as if the answer was obvious.

"I found your stuff last time you brought it. It wasn't as secure as you think." Bonnie said, reaching behind her. When her paw came back, it was holding one of Judy's bracers.

"Mom..." Judy said, stepping closer as she tried to say something. She blinked in shock when her mother took a step back, fear flashing across her face briefly.

"I...I'm not mad or anything, Judy. I know why you joined. I called Bogo, trying to report you in my anger. When he explained, I realized you knew what you were doing. You knew what it would entail when you accepted his invitation. I'm just glad you have Nick to watch your back." Bonnie said, Judy not even hearing her. Her mind was still processing the fear she had seen.

"Are you...scared of me." Judy asked, taking a step closer. When her mother took another step back, she froze.

"I wish I could say no, Judy. But...you aren't the Judy Hopps I know." She said, dropping the bracer and walking down the stairs. Judy bent down to grab the bracer, contemplating what she had heard.

"No. I'm not." She said quietly, bouncing the bracer in her grip briefly before she walked down the stairs as well. She should put it up before somebody else came in.

When she came back upstairs, she found Nick sitting at the counter with a sullen expression, poking at a piece of pie with a fork.

"So..." He began, looking up at her. "Now she knows too." He said, Judy sitting down next to him.

"She's known for a while. And that's not what bothers me, either." She said, resting her head on her arms. "She's _scared_ of me, Nick. She thought I was going to do something when I moved closer." She said, anguish filling her voice. Nick looked at her sadly, laying a paw on her shoulder comfortably.

"Now you know how I felt after the PCD." He said, Judy chuckling lightly.

"I suppose I do. And I can't apologize enough for that." She said, the topic still sensitive despite how long it had been.

"She'll get over it in time. All it takes is some love and a bit of time." He said, ears perking up when he heard the door open. When it closed, he waited. A few seconds later, and Judy's father, Stu Hopps, walked in. He looked nervous, for some reason.

"Hey, Nick. Judy. You seen Bonnie? I wanted to ask her something." He said, Judy pointing at the door where the stairs were.

"Not sure where specifically, but I know she's likely downstairs." She said, Stu nodding gratefully.

"Thank you, Jude. I'll just get going an-" he stopped, finally catching a glimpse of her sullen look. "Something wrong?" He asked, stepping closer. Judy sighed, looked at Nick quickly, and faced him.

"Nothing important, Stu. Just...stress, I suppose. Trying to figure out what happened with that whole thing with the Warehouse Massacre has been pretty draining." She answered, sighing.

"You're on vacation, Jude. Enjoy it, and forget about that for a while." Stu said, smiling warmly at her briefly before turning and walking down the stairs.

"...That was close." Nick said, Judy groaning.

"I'll be surprised if he doesn't know as well. Bonnie never hides anything from him without a good reason, so I'm doubtful he doesn't know." Judy said, Nick sighing.

"Maybe. But unlike your mother, he does't seem to care. If he knows why you do it, then it probably makes it easier to accept. I'm sure it's not easy, of course, but he knows you wouldn't be doing this if you didn't want to." He said, trying to cheer her up slightly.

"Maybe. But he could just be pretending, you know. He's always been a worrier, so if Bonnie is this stressed this long after finding out, and Stu knows, I can only imagine how much Bonnie would have to have watered it down enough for him to still be alive." She said, Nick blinking I surprise.

"I just realized you're calling them by their names, instead of mom or dad. What's up with that?" He asked, Judy sighing.

"I've always done it whenever I have an argument with one of them. Let's them know if one of them didn't get to be a part of it." She answered, Nick nodding in understanding. He stood up, Judy looking at him in curiosity.

"I'm gonna go outside. Maybe talk with Bailey or Riina. You want to enjoy our trip, I suggest you do the same." He said, walking past her and out the door.

Judy blinked. His tone had seemed...cold, possibly. He was annoyed by something. Maybe that possibly four mammals knew something about their night jobs.

She walked towards the door, intent on following his advice.

"Hey Jude?" Her dad said from behind her. She turned, curious.

"Yes?" She asked, wondering what he wanted.

"I just wanted to say...be careful, okay?" He asked, Judy pausing. She didn't know whether he meant with her duties as a cop or an Assassin, but she nodded anyway.

"I will." She said, smiling and walking out the door. She closed the door behind her, seeing various kits running around the property, happy shrieks and laughs reaching her ears.

At the sound of pawsteps behind and above her, she turned and looked upwards to see Nick sitting on top the burrow.

"Hey." He said, extending a paw.

"Hey." She said, smiling at him. She took the offered paw, allowing him to pull her up, Nick retreating further up the burrow until they sat at the top.

"So I was thinking." He said, looking at Judy.

"About..." She said, arching an eyebrow.

"When all this is over...you think we should try for 'em?" He asked, gesturing towards her stomach slightly. It took her a moment for her to realize what he meant.

"I'm ready when you are." She said, smiling at him and reaching for his paw. She blinked when he pulled away, a serious expression on his face.

"I'm being serious, Judy." He said, Judy sighing. If he used her actual name, then he really _was_ serious. "I'll gladly try whenever, but I can't in good conscious do it when we do...this." He said, gesturing to his forearm to indicate a bracer.

"I know. And I think the same. But...at the same time...I don't know if it's possible." She said, gaze falling in defeat.

"That's what trying is for." He said, lifting her muzzle up to look at him. She let him, curious despite having a feeling what it was for. She was surprised, however, when he simply smiled warmly at her.

"I just worry that...well, what if we try, and are successful, but something happens before they come?" She said, wrapping him in a hug. "But I can wait."

"Despite who you are?" Nick asked teasingly, Judy breaking the hug and glaring. After a few minutes, she sighed.

"Yes, despite who I am." She said, not liking how satisfied Nick looked when she answered.

"I know." He said, placing a gentle kiss on her forehead. Judy smiled happily, leaning against him.

"You know, I was reading up on things like this. Apparently, it's possible. Just super rare." She said, looking up at him.

"What? Interspecies kits?" He asked, looking down at her in curiosity.

"Well, something like that." She said sheepishly, scrunching up slightly. "I may have looked at various sites to see if kits between Lapines and Vulpines were possible." She said, Nick blinking.

"So that's what you were doing on your phone last week." He said, letting out a content but surprised noise.

"Well, that and...looking at size charts." She said, Nick looking at her with a confused expression.

"Size charts? Why are size charts important?" He asked, tilting his head.

"Not body size charts." She said, Nick furrowing his brow slightly in thought. When understanding finally dawned on his face, he looked at her with a mix of shock and appreciation.

"Well, I would have never thought you would be so brave as to do that." He said, huffing in amusement.

"I don't know whether to be complimented or insulted, but I'll stick with complemented." Judy said, hugging Nick's waist.

"It was supposed to be a compliment." He said, rubbing her head between the ears like he knew she liked.

"Good." She said, rubbing against his hand as he rubbed.

"Although...I wouldn't mind another taste." He said, suddenly pinning her to the ground.

"Well, that's a shame." She said, using her position to flip him over her head, flipping over to land on top of him. "So was I."

 **And that does it for chapter six of Zootopian Assassins, also known as Assassins of Zootopia. It's shorter than normal, but I managed to write some decent fluff in here so I felt like ending it while I was ahead. If I didn't, I felt like I would ruin the fluff somehow. I hope you guys enjoyed reading it, because I know I did writing it. Maybe I should try my hand at a fluffy oneshot. Maybe I will. We'll just have to wait and see, I suppose. But, onto another part of this Author's Note. On there is a writer named Selaxes. He has a fanfiction called Sounds of the Heart, which is where Riina and Bailey come from. Go read it. And his Red Tails and Wilde Skies fic, which is basically Zootopia during World War II. Also check out the writer Stevegallaci, who is writing a story called Celeste, which Sounds of the Heart has crossed over with a few times. All three stories are worth reading, and you'll be missing out if you don't read them. Selaxes, if I got any part of Bailey or Riina's characters wrong, don't be afraid to tell me. I want to make them as similar to their canonical counterparts as possible, so let me know. I just want to say thank you again for letting me borrow Bailey and Riina for this story, because I absolutely admire your work. I wish I was as good a writer as you, and I hope you found my attempts at Bailey and Riina satisfactory, but I'll change whatever I need to keep them similar to your own. I can't say I can admit that a lot of writers I know would try to keep them as similar as they could if told to have fun with them, and that saddens me to an extent. I will admit, however, I was tempted to make Riina or one of her parents a Templar. But, I decided not too, and I will not change that if you bless me with more iterations of them in this fic. To my general audience, I also admit to making Bonnie Hopps an Assassin at first during her confrontation with Judy, but I changed that because it didn't make sense to me. So I had her find out through snooping, because that's what parents do best. No insult intended, it's just my own experience. Anyway, I think this AN is long enough, so I'll see you guys...next update. Word Count: 4,790**


	8. Bunny Burrow Contract

**Hey guys Price here and welcome to Chapter 7 of Zootopian Assassins. I'm gonna change it to just that because I don't know why I named it Assassins of Zootopia on AO3, so yeah. I hope you guys like my Press Conference AU story, my AO3 audience. If you haven't read it, do so and give me your thoughts. I may just implement some...aspects of it into this story. And I don't mean plot aspects. But yeah, give me advice and I will listen! I promise. Unless it's to get into super graphic detail. Probably don't do that, but it's possible. This chapter is still in Bunny Burrow, but it's not gonna be slow. There will be action in it, I promise. Though it'll be near the end. Anyway, that's enough of that, I think it's time to get...onto the story!**

 **Loadouts**

 **J: Normal Hidden Blade on left paw; ACIII Hidden blade on right paw; Short Sword on back; Rope Launcher on left bracer; Five Flash Grenades; Fifteen Smoke Grenades; Thirty Throwing Knives throughout her mammal; Pouch for Lock Picks on left side; Pouch for broken Lock Picks on right side; Hidden Boot Blades on both heels and front of her boots; Collapsible Baton for capture missions; Shaped Charges; Boot Blades; Light Armor**

 **N: Unity Phantom Blade on left paw, Normal Hidden Blade on right paw; Rope Launcher on right bracer; Collapsible Tomahawks on both thighs((think Innie Leader's Tomahawks from Red vs Blue Season 10)); Twenty Throwing Knives throughout his mammal; Twenty Smoke Grenades; Collapsible Baton for capture missions; Medium Armor**

 **D: Normal Hidden Blade on both paws; No attachments; Thirty Throwing Knives throughout his mammal; Five Cherry Bombs; Rope Dart; Kyoketsu Shogei((Ninja Assassin version)); No Armor**

Judy sat on top of the mound of earth that signified the burrow of the Hopps family, her friend Nick beside her. As he finished buttoning up his shirt, Riina appeared over the dip down to ground level. As she came within five feet of them, she paused, nose twitching.

"Oh." She said, blinking. Judy smiled awkwardly, head shrinking down into her shoulders slightly.

"Sorry. But you know how Bunnies are." Nick said, Riina giggling at the joke.

"I do. Though usually I am being the one instigating the process." Riina said, Judy blushing.

"As much as I may indulge in said process, I'd rather not talk about something that would make me imagine my brother doing it." She said, looking down awkwardly.

"Oh, right. I am being sorry, but your embarrassment was pretty-" Riina stopped herself when Judy threw a glare her way, blinking. "Funny." She finished, Judy blinking in surprise.

"I wasn't expecting that, honestly." She said, Riina shrugging lightly.

"As fun as this is, surely you have a reason for coming up here. Right?" Nick asked, Riina nodding.

"Yes, actually. There is a mammal on the phone asking for you. Called himself Chief Bogo, but I don't know who that is. I am assuming he is the Chief of Police in Zootopia?" She asked, Judy and Nick nodding and standing up, following the Platinum Fox. As Riina made to enter the burrow, Judy placed a paw on the Vixen's arm.

"We know where the phones are. Thank you, though." She said, Riina pausing in thought. She made to say something, then apparently thought better of it for she closed her muzzle.

"I will be waiting for you, then." She said, gesturing to the roof of the burrow. When Judy nodded, she climbed up, and Judy opened the door and walked in with Nick.

"That wasn't suspicious at all." Nick said when the door had closed, Judy glaring at him briefly.

"Let's just see what Bogo wants." She said, rolling her eyes and walking over to where a phone was ringing. She picked it up, placing it against her right ear. "Hello?"

"Hopps. I would have preferred to call your personal phone, but it would seem you changed your number and forgot to put it in the system." Bogo said, annoyance clear in his voice.

"No, sorry. It's in my bag, and I must have forgot to get it out." She apologized, an audible grunt coming from the phone.

"Right. Well, onto why I called. A civilian reported an odd number of mammals boarding the train to Bunny Burrow an hour ago. They all had duffel bags, and a few had necklaces with a certain red cross on them." Bogo said, Judy looking at Nick.

"You think they are targeting us." She said, careful to keep her voice low in case somebody was listening in.

"It's likely they don't like the fact you and Nick are together, and thought you two going to Bunny Burrow would be a good time to strike. Teach them just how wrong they are." Bogo said, Judy grunting her acknowledgement. "There will also be a Target coming with them. Make sure to get your family out, somehow. If you want to send them here to Zootopia, I'll make sure the Precinct pays for their tickets. Or, send them somewhere you know they'll be safe. I don't care, just get them away from the burrow. I'll direct any funds necessary for property damages." Bogo finished, Judy glancing around quickly.

"Understood, sir. I'll see if I can spread them out. Give the other mammals a hard time if they want to gather them up." She said, earning a quiet grunt of approval from Nick.

"Good. And Hopps?" Bogo asked, Judy wondering what he wanted.

"Yes, Chief Bogo?"

"Stay safe." He said, Judy smiling slightly.

"Will do, sir." She said, the call disconnecting. She turned to Nick, a look of determination on her face. "Let's break the news to my parents." She said, Nick nodding and following her as she walked out the door. When they found her parents, she waited for them to notice her.

"Ah, Judy, Nick. There you two are! Is something wrong?" Bonnie asked, immediately picking up on Judy's slightly droopy ears.

"Bogo suspects we have some...aggressors coming to the Hopps burrow. He wants the family to go somewhere safe." She said, Stu looking at Bonnie as he heard her. He came over, looking at Judy with surprise.

"We'll send the kits to surrounding burrows, I suppose. Then us four will talk it out." He said, gesturing to himself, Bonnie, Nick, and Judy.

"These mammals aren't here to talk things out." She said, a look of surprise flittering across Stu's face.

"Well, we'll chase them off, then." He said, Judy shaking her head.

"It won't work like that." She said, looking to Nick briefly. "Are you willing to take a life, dad?" She asked, Stu blinking. Judy turned to her mother. "What about you?" She asked, Bonnie looking unsure. Finally, she shook her head. "I can't place that kind of burden on you. You know that. Get the kits somewhere safe. Me and Nick will handle this." She said, turning to walk away. She was stopped by someone grabbing her wrist, and she spun around to shake the mammal off.

"We're staying." Bonnie said, Judy blinking. "I may not be able to take a life, but I will gladly wound anyone who threatens my family." She said, Judy smiling sadly.

"I can't in good conscious risk your lives for a fight that you don't belong to. Just get the kits to safety, and me and Nick will take care of things." She said, Stu stepping closer.

"Like heck it isn't our fight. They're threatening you and Nick, and I won't just stand idly by and let something happen to you _or_ him!" He said, Nick smiling at him gratefully for his caring.

"The difference is we're willing to do what it takes, dad. It's kill or be killed in this struggle, and if you can't take a life you have no business in the fight." She said, Stu looking like he wanted to speak.

"Listen, please." Nick said, kneeling down so he could be eye level with the two Rabbits. "I appreciate you wanting to help, really. But killing someone? It isn't easy. If you don't have a strong enough will you just...fade away. It does things to you that's impossible to imagine. So please, just let us handle this. I don't want to see you have to live with what taking another's life entails. So don't make me. Please." He said, Bonnie looking from the Fox to Stu, before letting out a sigh.

"He's right, you know." She said, Stu turning to face her.

"You'd let them just risk their lives for this?" He asked, gesturing to the burrow and the surrounding property.

"They do it all the time already. This isn't any different." She answered, Stu blinking. "The Wolf in the Rainforest District? Them. The Warehouse Massacre? Them, I'm sure. This? They can handle it, Stu." She said, Stu sighing in defeat. He was silent for a while before he turned to face them.

"Just...be careful." He said, Judy nodding.

"We have a list to cross off. We can't go without making sure it's crossed." Judy said, the euphemism not lost on the two older Rabbits.

"We'll prepare the burrow for an attack. Rig some traps." Nick said, looking at Judy. She nodded, Nick walking away and towards the burrow to lay out their equipment.

"We'll tell the kits we're gonna go visit some friends. Let us know when it's safe." Bonnie said, Judy smirking despite the mood.

"We'll let you know when it's _clean_." She said, earning a soft sigh and nod from the female Rabbit.

"Thank you." She said, walking towards the large cluster of Bunny kits with Stu in tow. Judy watched them until they reached the mass, then turned and bounded to the house, intent on helping Nick set some defenses. When she entered, she dodged a fork flying at her, glaring at the Fox across the room.

"Sorry. Testing something." He explained, gesturing to a taut string with a fork against it.

"Shouldn't you use knives?" She asked, Nick raising his arm to show his bracer. He swiped to the left and tapped something.

"I just sent you the schematics on the traps I want to build. You can review when you get ready." He said, Judy nodding and making her way to the stairs. "Now what would make a good trigger?" He asked, Judy barely hearing him.

She opened the door to the room they shared, then set to work on securing her equipment. She pulled on her outfit, then secured her bracers. After that, she secured her shoulder armor and placed her boots on, tying them tight. She checked the sharpness of her Short Sword, running it across a finger lightly. When she felt the sting of parted flesh, she pulled it away and sheathed it, strapping the scabbard to her back.

Suddenly, a yelp rang out upstairs as she placed the mask on, Judy immediately pelting up the stairs. When she came into the living room, she was shocked to find Riina and Bailey standing in the kitchen, staring at Nick who had his bracer hidden behind his back. She skidded to a stop and hid back behind the door frame, a sigh escaping her when she realized they didn't see her.

"Hello?" Bailey asked, Judy groaning quietly. They didn't see her, but they did hear her.

"I did not hear anything." Riina said, Judy tensing slightly. "Oh." She said, Judy guessing Bailey had tapped his ears. She reached to her belt and grabbed a smoke grenade, intent on using it and making for the door.

"Bailey! Riina! Come on!" She heard Bonnie shout from the door, a sigh of relief escaping her.

"Coming!" Bailey shouted, the sound of retreating pawsteps reaching Judy's ears, followed by an opening and closing door.

"Safe." Nick said, Judy coming out from behind the door frame.

"What was that yelp about?" Judy asked, Nick pulling his paw from behind his back.

"They snuck up on me when I was looking for string. Nearly saw the Brotherhood symbol." He said, smiling awkwardly.

"For a second there I thought you'd accidentally shot somebody with that thing." She said, gesturing to the fork launcher on the counter.

"Nah. You'd be hearing more than yelping if that was the case." He said, waving her off. "Be down to get changed in a minute." He said, opening a counter in search of something.

"Looking for this?" Judy asked, Nick turning to see her holding a spool of wire.

"There it is." He said, taking it from her and rolling some out. He made quiet measurements of the ceiling to the floor, then from the sofa to the coffee table in front of it. He nodded to himself, wrote something down in a notebook he pulled from a pocket, and set about to measuring different amounts. Judy smiled and shook her head, amused by his antics.

 _POV Switch: Templar Hit Squad Member Daedalus_

Daedalus stepped off the train, following his squad leader as they entered a building, presumably the bathrooms. They entered various stalls, changing from their civvie outfits to their gear for the upcoming hit.

Apparently, they were targeting the two most well known police officers in the country: Judy Hopps and her parter Nick Wilde.

When they were done, they exited the bathrooms. Daedalus carried a Bearreta 1301 Tactical shotgun and a Bearreta Px4 Inox sidearm, along with his tactical gear.

"All right, ladies! It'll be dark soon, so get your spectacles ready!" The squad leader ordered, the entire company lowering their NVGs and activating them. They didn't want the targets to know they were coming, after all, so flashlights were out of the question.

"So, Daedalus. You wanna see if the captain will let us have some fun with that Bunny?" His squadmate, named Perseus, asked him. Daedalus looked at him with a grimace, shaking his head.

"Don't think it'd work. Besides, we're a hit squad, not gangsters." He said, a look of disgust passing over his face quickly.

"I mean toy with her, Dae. That's just wrong, man." Perseus said, shaking his head.

"Well you should have specified Percy. How was I supposed to know that's what you meant?" He asked, looking at the mammal.

"I'm a hunter, man. Not a savage." Perseus said, Daedalus letting out a small whine.

"You know my little bro was one of those targeted, Percy. Not a joke." He said, though he knew his friend hadn't meant it like that.

"Yeah, I know. I mean like Viking kind of savage, not _savage_ savage." He said, shaking his head at his slip up.

"I know that, Percy. Just don't joke about it anymore." He said, earning a nod from the mammal. "But no, I don't think he'll let us toy with the Bunny. We go in, kill her and the Fox, and get out." He said, a sharp whistle stopping Perseus before he could say something else.

"Lock it up, Persalus." Their squad leader ordered, using the name they had jokingly came up with for their relationship, though it was nothing more than friendship. Unfortunately, a few of the other squads thought the name was meant as more than just their friendship name. It was annoying, sure, but it kept morale up so the higher ups wouldn't do anything about it. They didn't hate it either, just didn't like the implications some of the squads made with the name.

"Yessir." They both said at the same time, the team breaking into a jog to arrive at the burrow as soon as possible without using all their stamina.

 _POV Switch: Nick and Judy_

Nick tied the end of a wire to a nail sticking from the wall in front of the window to outside, having borrowed a small piece of C4 from Judy. It was big enough to kill, but also small enough that it would't do too much damage to the inside of the building.

He'd also placed a small loop of wire under two nails on either side of the door to a knife raised above the door, the smallest piece of C4 Judy had been able to pinch off sticking it to the ceiling. It would do some damage to the mammal in it's path, indeed.

The rest of the traps were designed for maximum lethality in mind, both mammals wanting to keep the Templars from reporting to their superiors about any casualties.

"Did Bogo say what kind of mammal out Target was?" Nick asked, realizing he couldn't remember.

"No, sorry. Hopefully it's something we can handle a bit easier." Judy said, Nick nodding.

"Okay. Traps are set. Now...we wait." He said, Judy nodding and sitting on the couch.

It wasn't five minutes later her ears swiveled towards the door.

"They're here."

 _POV Switch: Templar Hit Squad Member Daedalus_

They leaned against the burrow's wall, Daedalus closest to the door since he had a breaching round in his shotgun.

"Breach and clear." Their squad leader ordered. He raised his shotgun and pointed the barrel at the door, making sure that the other members of the team on the opposite side of the door weren't in the firing path before pulling the trigger. The handle was shredded as the specialized rounds tore into it, another squadmate pulling open the door and running in.

He barely made it a foot inside before Daedalus heard a small explosion, followed by him fall to the ground.

"Pluto is down." The squad leader said, grimacing slightly.

"Traps. They were prepared." Perseus said, the team waiting for a moment before the squad leader entered. He swept his gaze over the room quickly, taking a step forward. He snapped his gaze to the left when he thought he heard something, then faced directly towards the kitchen when a fork buried itself in his eye. He fell to the ground, Perseus and Daedalus entering quickly behind him at the sound.

"Jupiter down. Targets had traps prepared. Somebody warned them." Daedalus said into his mic, pressing his back against Perseus'.

"Acknowledged. Press on." Their commander ordered, standing outside the door behind the squad.

"Pressing on." Perseus said, him and Daedalus separating from each other and watching where they walked. They heard the rest of the squad enter behind them save for two, another falling to a knife before the window was breached. As the mammal came in, his foot caught a length of wire near the ground. That set off the small amount of C4 beside the window. The mammal was sent flying, impacting the wall with a sickening crunch. He fell to the ground, head hanging at an unnatural angle.

"Mars is down." Daedalus said, feeling his heartbeat elevate slightly at how quickly three members were already down. It quickly returned to normal, Daedalus looking over at Perseus to make sure nothing was going wrong.

He turned at the sound of an impact, seeing another squadmate fall, a different kind of knife buried into his neck.

"Neptune down." Perseus announced, a quiet sigh escaping into the mic.

"It would seem we've underestimated the targets. Clear the lower level and then come straight back." The commander ordered, Daedalus locking gazes with Perseus for a moment.

"Sir, with all due respect...wouldn't that be what they would want?" He asked, hesitant to follow such an order.

"It's what I want, Daedalus. So do it." The commander ordered, Daedalus muting his mic before he sighed, looking at his still breathing squadmates.

"Romulus, you have point. Remus, you have the rear." He said, letting the mammal take point before following, Perseus at his back.

At the bottom of the stairs he heard something falling, and turned to see Remus tumbling down the stairs with a large gash in his throat. He looked up, his gold eyes meeting lavender before they disappeared. He heard a pained gasp behind him and turned to see Romulus fall to the ground with a knife sticking out of his back.

"Twins are down." He said, hearing a growl behind him.

"That much is obvious, Daedalus." Somebody said, a loud smack reaching his ears. "Ow."

 _POV Switch: Judy_

Judy closed her eyes when the Coyote turned to face her, allowing the Sense to tell her where everything was. She saw a Wolf go down, reaching behind him as he slowly sank to the ground.

She unsheathed her Short Sword silently, preparing to dash forward. She did, stopping at a mammal's legs and swinging her Sword, cleaving the leg at the knee and bringing the blade back, beheading the mammal before it could utter a sound. She moved behind it and kicked it. Hard. It crashed into the Coywolf that had seen her, Judy hearing a snap. The pile didn't move again.

When the last mammal turned to face her, Nick stepped out from the room he'd hidden in, raising and firing his Phantom Blade. The mammal gasped, which quickly turned to a gurgle as he reached behind him. He slowly sank to the ground, Judy's eyes never leaving his until he was muzzle down on the floor, a blade protruding from his back.

Nick nodded to her, Judy nodding back as a sign of her being grateful. She walked past him, bending down over the Wolf at the back of the group. She pulled the duffel bag from his back, grabbing the sidearm from it's holster at the mammal's hip and placing it in the bag.

"Uh...Carrots?" Nick said, Judy turning to find Nick with a sidearm pressed to his skull, the Coywolf behind him.

"You come any closer, I blow this Fox's brains all over this burrow." The Coywolf said, pressing the gun against Nick's skull roughly in emphasis.

"You do that, and you lose the only thing protecting you from my blade." She retorted, noting with satisfaction the Coywolf faltering at that.

"I have more than one bullet in this thing." He said, Nick's right paw beginning to move.

"You won't get a bead on me before I leave a smile on your neck." She said, watching as Nick's paw shot up and gripped the slide of the sidearm, pulling it back before the Coywolf could react.

"Gun won't fire without a slide." He said, suddenly pressing upward. The slide snapped off, flipping into the air as Nick brought his arm down against the Coywolf's. The mammal grunted, then fell back as Nick brought his elbow up to have a date with his muzzle, the sound of dislocation filling the hallway. As Nick turned and raised his arm, Hidden Blade sliding out, the mammal raised his hands in a futile attempt to protect himself.

"Wait!" He begged, Nick narrowing his eyes.

"Give me a reason." He said, lowering himself until his Hidden Blade was pressing against the mammal's throat.

"I just...I just want to go home. I'm just here for the pay, but it's not worth dying for. My brother's still in the hospital. He...he won't respond to the NH One." He said, Judy blinking.

"NH One?" She asked, Nick grimacing slightly

"The Night Howler antidote." He said, retracting his Hidden Blade and standing. "I'd heard a Coywolf was still trying to be treated. Twelve, last I heard."

"Twelve attempts?" Judy asked, Nick shaking his head.

"No. They tried twice. The Coywolf is barely a teen." He said, hearing Judy's intake of breath.

"The pay is the only reason the hospital is keeping him. You'll never hear from me again, I promise." The Coywolf at Nick's feet begged, Judy glancing up at Nick, only to look away when she saw the hate in his eyes.

"Yes. We will." He said, lifting the mammal up by his BDU. "You're an Assassin now, whether you like it or not. You can't go back to the Templars. They'll kill you for a failed mission. Or we can kill you now, if you'd prefer." He said, the Coywolf blinking.

"I understand." He said, looking down at a Lynx by Judy. She looked down, recognizing the mammal as the one Nick had shot with his Phantom Blade. "Go. I...want to say goodbye to a friend." He said, stepping past Nick and kneeling by the Lynx.

"Hey." Judy said softly, the Coywolf looking up. He blinked at her as she extended a knife towards him. She spun it, the handle facing him now. "In case you need it." She said, the Coywolf nodding and taking the offered blade.

 _POV Switch: Assassin Recruit Daedalus_

He watched as the Rabbit and Fox walked up the stairs, presumably to go after the commander, before he turned to look at the Lynx.

"I'm sorry, Percy." He said, reaching his paw forward and pulling the thin blade from his friend's back. When the Lynx grunted, he stood up quickly.

"I thought you knew to leave the blade in when you're stabbed." The Lynx said, Daedalus kneeling down just as quickly as he'd stood.

"Percy? I...I thought you died." He said flipping the mammal over quickly but carefully.

"Takes more than that to kill me. You know that." He said, gesturing to the small blade Daedalus held in his paw.

"I suppose you heard, then?" He asked, tossing the piece of metal away.

"Yeah. The Fox has a point, though. Always wondered what it was like, being an Assassin. Guess I'm about to find out." He said, offering a grin to Daedalus as the Coywolf blinked.

"You...you're joining them too?" He asked, surprised you how this day was going.

"Well, it's that or be killed. And I want to be there for you when your brother gets cured." He said, offering a paw to Daedalus. The Coywolf smiled gratefully, standing and grabbing Perseus' forearm, feeling the Lynx grip his as he pulled him up to stand.

"Thank you." Daedalus said, the Lynx nodding.

"No problem. Now, let's go see if Miss Hopps and Mister Wilde need our help." Percy said, the two beginning the journey up the stairs.

 _POV Switch: Judy_

"Let's go get our target." She said when they reached the top of the stairs, Nick looking at her.

"Gonna be honest Fluff, but I didn't think you had it in you to look a mammal in the eyes as he died." He said, Judy shrugging in the darkness.

"Neither did I." She said, exiting the stairwell and standing on one side of the door. Nick stood on the other, reloading his Phantom Blade.

She pulled a Throwing Knife from it's sheath on her shoulder, then looked at Nick. He nodded. They both exited.

A baton came at her chest as she exited. She barely managed to catch it, hissing at the pain it brought as she was forced against the wall. The mammal pressed himself against the baton, staring her in the eyes. He didn't even feel the sidearm at his waist move until it was pressed against his chest.

She pulled the trigger, ears pressing against her head at the report of the gun in her paws. The mammal jerked, a small gasp escaping him as the first round punched through his chest. She pulled it again, sending him back and giving her the room she needed to kick him away. With a final, slow gurgle, the mammal died.

She turned to witness Nick dispatch another mammal that had attempted the same as the one at her feet.

"How unfortunate. They were a good team, too." Someone said, Nick and Judy turning to face the voice.

"I assume you're out target." Judy said, foot touching the Throwing Knife she had dropped.

"You're probably correct. However, I don't plan on going down very easy." The mammal said, Judy working her foot under the handle of the blade at her feet. She kicked it up, ducking down as Nick spun and delivered a kick to the flat of the grip, sending it flying through the air. It impacted with the mammal's chest, sinking in up to the hilt. The mammal let out a gasp, paw raising to the knife in his chest. He gripped it, pulling it out and dropping it.

"Huh." Nick said, sharing a glance with Judy. Judy rolled to the left, coming up with the sidearm on the ground. She fired off a shot into the mammal's leg, sending him lower to the ground slightly. Nick dashed forward, slicing the mammal's throat with his left Hidden blade, then his right. He spun, delivering a strong enough kick to the mammal's head to tear whatever flesh remained attached clear from the shoulders.

The head bounced off the sloped roof of the burrow. When the face of the mammal was looking out over the field, Judy threw a knife, sticking it to the wall.

"Contract complete." She said, Nick looking at her and arching an eyebrow. "It makes a decent decoration." She explained, gesturing to the head.

"Yeah, no." He said, pulling the knife free and catching the head by the fur on top of it. He turned and dropped it by the body it had come from, cleaning the knife on the mammal's uniform and tossing it back to Judy. She caught it, sheathing it.

"Now to find a place to hide the bodies, I suppose." Judy said, moving to walk back into the house. She paused, glanced at the sidearm in her paw, and tucked it into the band of her pants.

"What's the gun for?" Nick asked, tilting his head.

"Well, you said we need more gear. So let's get more gear." She answered, Nick feeling a grin make it's way to his muzzle.

"Well, I don't know if this is how I would like to go about it..." He said, gesturing to the guns that adorned the two mammals by the door. "But, I guess they don't need them anymore, so..." He said, dragging the word out in indecision. "We might as well."

"We don't have to take them, you know. It's just a suggestion." She said, Nick sighing.

"It's fine. It just feels too much like stealing." He said, earning an arched eyebrow from Judy.

"I find it odd you mind that." She said, Nick scoffing.

"I hustled, Judy. I didn't steal anything!" He said, Judy huffing.

"You're right. I'm sorry." She said, though she didn't look at him.

"Let's just get these ready to go." He said, reaching for the rifle that was currently slung across the back of the mammal that was closest to him. As he raised it to toss it to Judy, the door opened and the Coywolf walked out, a Lynx leaning on his shoulder. The barrel was trained on the Coywolf before he could utter a sound.

"By the skin of your teeth, Dae." The Lynx said, the Coywolf looking at him sourly. He turned his attention back to Nick and Judy with a quiet but playful growl at the cat.

"What are you doing?" He asked, gesturing to the rifle in Nick's paws.

"Well..." Nick trailed off, looking at Judy. She nodded, Nick looking back at the Coywolf. "We don't have as many supplies as we would like. We figured we'd scavenge what we could before we left." He said, the Coywolf nodding in understanding.

"Surviving by skill alone, I see." He said, earning a chuckle from the fox.

"Well, we recently had a small swell in numbers, but it'll be a while before they're ready for Contracts." Nick said, shrugging. He looked at the Lynx, an eyebrow arched. "You called him Dae?" He asked, the Lynx smiling.

"Short for Daedalus. I'm Perseus." He said, raising his paw not draped over the Coywolf's shoulders to wave.

"Something tells me those aren't your actual names." Judy said, Nick tossing her a glance.

"We're ones to talk, eh Jonah?" He asked, earning confused looks from the Coywolf and Lynx.

"I suppose you're right, Nikita." Judy answered, earning a chuckle from Daedalus as he realized what they were talking about.

"The Novices don't know your real names." He said, amusement clear.

"We'll get to that when they're at least Guerrios." Judy said, Perseus tilting his head.

"Italian for Warriors." Nick said, the Lynx nodding.

"Gotcha." He said, making the dive symbol for 'okay'.

"So...you want all or just a few of the guns?" Daedalus asked, situating Perseus against the dome of the burrow.

"Many as you can discreetly carry." Judy answered, earning a nod from the Coywolf as he turned to walk into the burrow one last time. He paused, turned, then tossed the knife back to Judy.

"You'll probably need that." He said, gesturing behind her. She turned to see a familiar truck driving down the path. Her eyes widened and she turned to Nick.

"Bodies. Inside. Downstairs. Now." She said, looking at Daedalus next. "Guns. Downstairs now." She ordered, earning a nod from both mammals. "I'll get Perseus." She said, walking over to the Lynx as Nick entered with the first body, dragging it inside as Daedalus gathered the rifle and slung it across his back, holstering a pistol at his waist and grabbing the pump-action shotgun from the other mammal's back. He followed Nick inside, Judy and Perseus right behind him and Nick unceremoniously dumped the body over the stairs, resounding thuds following as he ran back to the door. He came back in dragging both of the mammals left by a foot, closing the door just as light illuminated him for a brief second.

He immediately grabbed the two mammals on the floor by him and dragged them to the stairwell, pushing both of them down. He flinched when a yelp of alarm sounded, not realizing Daedalus had gone downstairs to hide the bodies in the rooms.

He hurriedly disarmed the rest of the traps that hadn't been activated, then ran over to the rest of the bodies and repeated the process of pushing them down the stairs for Daedalus to hide, closing the door behind Judy and Perseus just as the front door opened.

He paused long enough to see who it was that came inside. He felt his mouth open slightly in shock.

Bailey.

 **And that does it for Chapter 7 of Zootopian Assassins! Hope you enjoyed it, because I certainly did. Yay for another fight scene! I mean, I love military grade Fluff and all, but I can't write it to save my life. Well, maybe. Also, to my AO3 audience, I reviewed the stats on my stories, and you guys are some seriously messed up people. I mean, I wrote it yes, but 845 hits as of writing this in just a few days is a bit much for a three thousand word Oneshot. Seriously guys. Though if that kind of content attracts that amount of attention, maybe I should have it in a World Builder chapter here. Jesus, guys. I'm not disappointed or angry, just surprised. Anyway, that's enough for now, I'll see you guys...next update. Word Count: 5,964**


	9. Leaving Bunny Burrow

**Hey guys Price here and welcome to Chapter 8 of Zootopian Assassins. This is the last chapter of the Bunny Burrow Trilogy, so be prepared to say goodbye to Bailey and Riina. I have to say, for what little I did include them, they were fun. Again, my thanks and shout outs to Selaxes for allowing me to bring them in. I highly suggest his works, despite his ending to A Darkness Brightly Burning. I'm getting watery eyed just thinking about it. But it's a good story, so do check it out. It's worth it, I promise. It's the kind of dark I aspire to write one day...hopefully soon, too. Okay, last time I promise, but thank you Selaxes for allowing me to use your characters in this story. I know I said that I probably wouldn't do anything, but the temptation won out. Sorry, even though this isn't canon to SotH. Anyway, that's enough of that, I think it's time to get...onto the story!**

Nick closed the door to the stairwell silently, quickly but quietly moved down the stairs, and began to help the former Templar Hit Squad member Daedalus, who was a Coywolf, hide the bodies. They didn't have time to get rid of the blood, but they only had a small window of time to work with.

"Hello!?" Bailey shouted from the above ground area, a slight twinge of fear lacing his words.

"We have to make him leave! We can't do anything with these mammals if he's here!" Judy whispered, afraid of gaining bailey's attention.

"Yeah, well, I don't have any ideas." Nick said, Judy sighing.

"You guys could scare him away." Perseus, a friend of Daedalus and former Templar Hit Squad member as well, suggested rom the corner of the room they occupied. Judy and Nick looked at him, not expecting him to speak.

"And how would you suggest that?" Judy asked, crossing her arms.

"You have voice changers, I bet. Otherwise the Reclute would know your names from your voices alone." Daedalus answered, shrugging.

"That's...actually a really good idea." Judy said, nodding to herself. "There's just one problem." She added, gesturing to her and Nick's ears and tails.

"It's dark up there. Stay in whatever shadows you need to." Perseus suggested, earning a stare from the Assassin duo.

"Fair enough." Nick said, looking at Judy. They nodded to each other, then raised their paws to their throats and flicked a small switch on something that Perseus and Daedalus couldn't see.

"Let's go Nikita." Judy said, voice now that of a male, though her voice was still identifiable from the occasional pitch increase.

"Yes, Jonah." Nick said, bowing sarcastically and following Judy as she made her way up the stairs. She looked at Nick, drew a Throwing Knife, and nodded.

Nick readied his Phantom Blade and kicked open the door. Bailey turned, though they were already in shadows.

"Who's there!?" He shouted, turning in a desperate attempt to find them.

"We hide in the dark, to serve the light." Nick said, Bailey turning to find the source of the voice.

"We are the servants to Freedom, to ensure those who wish otherwise draw their last breath before they can put their plans in motion." Judy said, Bailey turning again. His foot brushed something, and he looked down. He bent down and picked it up, raising it. A sidearm.

"Show yourself!" He shouted, keeping the weapon in front of him.

"We are Assassins." Nick said, Bailey turning again at the sound of his voice.

"We wish you no harm, Bailey Hopps. Leave, and nothing will come down upon you." Judy said, Bailey turning in her direction and firing off a shot.

"Careful with that. Wouldn't want that kind of thing to stain your conscious." Nick said, barely ducking under another shot.

Judy sighed quietly, realizing Bailey wasn't going to listen. She reached up and switched the voice changer off, Nick gesturing at her not to all the while from the other end of the room. She returned to normal sight, shaking her head slightly at the disorientation switching from the Sense entailed.

She stepped from the shadows behind Bailey, foot creaking a floor board. He turned, firing off a shot. She leaned back, the round sliding off the slope of the mask. It impacted the wall a few feet behind her, Bailey's eyes visibly widening.

"Bailey...stand down." She said, noting that the gun began to shake.

Nick came from behind, pulling back the gun's slide and breaking it, much like Daedalus' gun. He grabbed Bailey's wrist, then raised it and brought it down quickly, flipping the young buck onto his back with a small shout of pain.

"Sorry, Squirt. Can't have you killing us, though." He said, voice changer off as well, as he kneeled over the Bunny.

"N-Nick? Judy?" He asked, breathing heavily. Nick looked at Judy, worry and apology in his eyes, then raised his paw.

"Sorry, Squirt." He said, bringing his paw down quickly and into the center of Bailey's forehead, knocking the mammal unconscious. Judy grimaced, wishing Nick hadn't needed to do that.

"Heartbeat was getting too elevated. Needed to calm him down." He said, as if worried Judy was about to flip out on him.

"I know. I wish you hadn't, but it's understandable." She said, though she wouldn't meet his gaze when he looked at her. She turned away, walking towards the stairs. "Let's go get Perseus and Daedalus outside. They can keep watch as we move the bodies." She said, Nick nodding even though she wouldn't see it.

"I hope he can forgive me." He said, looking towards the ground as he followed her downstairs.

"So do I, Nick. Otherwise...I don't know what we'll do." Judy said, sounding defeated.

"I'd say whatever we need to do, but I'm afraid of what that would entail." He said, finally reaching the bottom of the stairs. He opened the first door on the right and grabbed the nearest body, then began the long, hard journey up the stairs while Judy did what she could to help.

It took them almost another whole hour before they got all the bodies upstairs and out the door, and another thirty minutes to dig enough holes for the bodies. Then they cleaned up what blood they could.

When that was over, Judy made her way to the phone on the kitchen counter. Despite having smart phones, the adults of the Hopps burrow liked to keep an older corded phone just in case. She called Bonnie's phone, waiting for it to click to signal it was answered.

"Hello? Judy, is that you?" Bonnie asked, Judy glancing over at where Bailey lay on the couch, Nick having moved him to make it easier to get the bodies outside.

"Hey, mom. We...have a problem." She said, taking a deep breath in preparation for the explanation she knew she would be asked to give.

"What happened?" Bonnie asked, worry in her voice.

"Bailey came back." She said, hearing a sharp intake of breath on the other side.

"He didn't...see anything, did he?" The Hopps matriarch asked, Judy glancing up to see Nick sit down on the couch next to Bailey.

"No. He did try to shoot me, though. Luckily the masks me and Nick have are bullet resistant." She said, nick looking up at the sound of his name.

"He tried to shoot you!?" Bonnie asked, Judy hearing somebody say something about Bonnie keeping her voice down.

"I'm fine, just so you know. The bullet just slid along a curve in the mask and hit the wall. He started to freak out when he realized who we were, though. Nick had to...knock him out." She said, hearing a small gasp escape the older Rabbit.

"Let me guess. He didn't want Bailey's heart to explode?" Bonnie asked, Judy sighing at the angry tone with which her mother said it.

"He was worried that Bailey's heart rate would exceed what it could handle in his panic. He took what measures he needed to." She said, ignoring the huff she got in return.

"I understand. But he didn't hit too hard, did he?" Bonnie asked, worry replacing the anger almost immediately.

"No. He's well aware of how much force is too much when it comes to knocking out a Bunny." She answered, earning a suspicious huff. "We've had Bunny crooks that had to be...restrained, before." She explained, knowing her mother would think Nick had knocked her out once.

"Oh. Well, at least now I know there haven't been any...disagreements between you two." Bonnie said teasingly, Judy grunting in annoyance.

"Well, we've had arguments, but nothing ever got physical. At most one barbed comment from each of us, followed by very messy apologizing. That's about it." She said, rolling her eyes despite knowing her mother couldn't see her.

"I get the feeling apologizing means something entirely different than normal..." Bonnie said, Judy making an annoyed noise. "Which is fine! While I may not agree with it a hundred percent, that's more just because...well, you know... _dimensions_." Her mother added, Judy chuckling at the wording.

"Well, I wouldn't say we've gone _that_ far yet." Judy said, Nick wiggling an eyebrow suggestively. She made to reach for a fork, and he ducked back behind the couch.

"Oh. Well...uh...I don't know whether to be relieved or curious. And I don't want to be relieved because it sounds wrong." Her mother said, Judy grunting quietly.

"We just don't want to take unnecessary risks with...you know." Judy said, earning a chuckle from the matriarch of the burrow.

"Oh, I get it. That's fine, then. With your professions... _both of them_...I'm glad." She said, Judy sighing.

"We're thinking about...maybe risking it when all our _issues_ are dealt with." She said, hoping the meaning wasn't lost on her mother for once.

"You mean the Templars." Bonnie said, her knowledge of the name of the Brotherhood's enemy getting a surprised grunt from Judy. "I did some research, Judy. Surprisingly, your old selves back during the Crusades in Europe weren't all that discreet." She continued, Judy tilting her head at the info. "Apparently, the...what was it, the Lebanese? It was similar, at least. The Brotherhood in...Masyaf, I think, had a whole castle. So, it's not like your organizations were as secret as you think."

"Wikipawdia sure has a lot of info on our organizations. I'm not sure whether that's scary or impressive." Judy said, more to herself than to her mother, but the older Bunny still caught it.

"Well, that's pretty much all, except for a small excerpt about you guys having a suspected hand in the fall of the Borgia family in ancient Rome. Other than that? Nothing." Bonnie reassured, Judy giving a small laugh despite the circumstance.

"Well, I guess we'll talk later. We still need to figure out how to have Bailey keep this a secret." Judy said, looking over to see Nick glancing at her nervously.

"Right. If the house is clean, then I guess we'll come on over. Leave the kits here for now, then come back for them." Her mother said, Judy giving her a confirmation that that was acceptable, then hung up after bidding her farewell.

She walked over to Nick, who still looked nervous, though it seemed less severe.

"Something wrong?" She asked, sitting down across from him in a love seat to the couch's right.

"He's gonna wake up soon." He answered, Judy nodding.

"It was only a matter of time, you know. I would have preferred to break the secret to the family after it was all said and done, but it looks like that's a no go." She said, a small smile making it's way to her muzzle.

"This isn't something to smile about, Judy. This is serious. If he talks to _anybody_ in this house, it'll be out and everybody will know. The whole Tri-Burrows, the whole of Zootopia, possibly the whole country! Maybe even the world! And none of our Brothers or Sisters will be safe in their respective countries! None of them! My training tells me to nip the problem in the bud, but we both know what that would mean, and I can't! Even if somebody held a gun to my head, I couldn't do it!" He shouted, a groan catching the two mammal's attention.

"Well, I'll give you props for that, at least." Bailey said, sitting up and clutching his head. "You knocked me out." He said, looking at Nick.

"It was that or risk you having a heart attack." He said matter of factly, like it was the only explanation needed. "Rabbits can die from too much stimuli. I remember Judy telling me that much when we got together." He added, sending an eyebrow wiggle at said bunny.

"Not the time." Judy said, Bailey glancing at her in agreement.

"Sorry. But I am sorry about that. Really." He said, gesturing to where Bailey still rested his paw against his forehead.

"Well, I can't fault you for doing what you thought was necessary." Bailey said, earning a small, quick tail wag from Nick. "Though you could have used less force." He said, Nick arching an eyebrow.

"I'll have you know I used as much force as was needed. Any less and it would have just hurt. A lot." Nick said, Bailey arching an eyebrow. "What, you think we haven't had to...ahem, restrain some unruly Bunnies in Zootopia?" Nick asked, Bailey acknowledging Nick explanation with a nod.

"Who are you two!?" Somebody shouted from the door, all three mammals turning to look at it. "Never mind! Just get inside!" The voice shouted, Judy and Bailey both groaning as they realized it was Bonnie.

"You two should probably go get dressed or something." He said, gesturing to Judy and Nick's outfits.

Before they could say anything, the door opened and Daedalus and Perseus stumbled in. They'd offered to wait outside to keep an eye out for Judy's parents. Perseus, what with his wound still giving him some trouble, allowed Daedalus to drag him towards the couch as Bonnie and Stu Hopps entered, their gazes resting on Judy, Nick, and Bailey. The young rabbit immediately stood, worry flashing across his faze.

"I swear I didn't know until just a little bit ago!" He said, as if worried the two adults would think he was an Assassin.

"We know." Stu said, glaring at Daedalus as he helped Perseus up into a recliner.

"And I-wait, what?" Bailey asked, a look of confusion on his features as he processed what he was hearing.

"We know about Nick and Judy's...uh...night jobs." Stu said, once again glancing at Daedalus, who remained standing and with a new sidearm likely liberated from a dead former comrade in his hip holster.

"Oh! Right. Dad, mom. This is Daedalus and Perseus." Judy said, gesturing to each mammal in turn. The two Hopps' arched their eyebrows, as if thinking the names odd.

"They're codenames." Perseus explained, shrugging. He winced, as if that motion caused him pain.

"I didn't think the...what was it again? The Brotherhood? I did't think the Brotherhood had members out here." Bonnie said, a small chuckle working loose of her muzzle.

"Uh...they don't. We were part of the Templar Hit Squad assigned to take out Nick and Judy." Daedalus said, chuckling awkwardly as Bonnie, Stu, and Bailey stared at him.

Bailey was the first to move. He grabbed one of Judy's Throwing Knives from it's sheath and chucked it as hard as he could at Daedalus' head. The Coywolf moved one of his ears, the knife sailing over where it had just been, an unamused expression on his muzzle.

"Maybe with some more practice." Judy remarked, Bailey blinking.

"I was expecting it to be a little more off." He said, evidently surprised at how close he'd been.

"And he is not getting more practice! We don't need another one of our kits doing what you two do!" Bonnie shouted, Judy blinking at the tone.

"And what would that be, mother?" She asked, suddenly defensive for some reason.

"You're murderers!" She exclaimed, her eyes widening as she realized what she said. Judy's eyes widened too, even though she knew where Bonnie had been going.

"You're right." Nick said, all the mammals in the room turning to face him in surprise. "We are murderers. We take the lives of other mammals with families, kits, loved ones. We do it because we think of them as nothing more than bugs waiting to be exterminated. We do this because...if we didn't...we'd break. We know the reasons why we're at war, but we don't care. Judy does it because she feels it's her duty, obviously. I do it because I owe them my life. Long story. We've...taken so many mammals from their families for a cause we don't truly believe in. And just thinking about it makes me sick...but I know we can't stop until either all of them are dead, or all of us are. It's a predicament me and Judy have discussed to an extent, but we never get far before we have to stop." He said, his gaze having dropped to the floor soon after starting. "When you're fighting a war, you learn to demonize your opponents. To you they're evil. They're sub-mammal. Because if they aren't, then what does that make us?" He asked, voice cracking noticeably as he attempted to hold back tears. Judy sat down next to him, leaning against him in silent support.

"Nick..." Bonnie began, stopping when Judy threw a glare her way. With a sigh, he hardened her gaze. "I shouldn't have said that. It was wrong of me, and I can't apologize enough for it. It just...came out. It's like those things others say for no reason. It just comes out from nowhere." She said, earning a grateful glance from the Fox.

"I know you didn't mean it Bonnie. It's just difficult to keep this up." He said, gesturing to himself. "I've killed mammals who are just doing what they're paid to do. I have to live with that. I wouldn't wish it on anybody, either. Even that one Bunny who kept trying to steal Bailey from Riina." He said, Bailey wincing at the memories.

Nick stood and sighed, Judy following him as Bailey walked towards the stairwell, presumably to go lay down.

"Take...Perseus was it?" Stu asked, looking at the Lynx. Perseus nodded. "Take Perseus to the truck. We'll get you guys to the train station before we go get the kits. I think Bailey needs some time." He said, Daedalus snapping off a brief salute before helping Perseus out the door. Stu turned to Judy and Nick. "What happened to his back?" He asked, Nick grimacing.

"I may have shot him in the back with my Phantom Blade." Nick said, raising his left bracer and activating the Phantom Blade, earning a hum of slight awe from the older Rabbit.

"That's...that's a feat of modern engineering." Stu said, incredulous.

"French Revolution." Judy said, Stu blinking.

"Huh?" He asked, not understanding.

"It's been around since the French Revolution." She said, Stu whistling at that.

"I suppose...we'll see you whenever." Bonnie said, Judy nodding.

"When Bailey is ready to talk, have him call us. Just don't let him tell anyone." Nick said, Stu and Bonnie nodding as Nick walked out the door. Judy followed him, Bonnie giving Stu a worried look.

"This is going to be a long few months." She said, Stu nodding as they walked out after Nick and Judy.

 _POV Switch: Brotherhood Recluta Daedalus_

Daedalus hopped down from the bed of the truck which belonged to Judy's parents, turning to help his friend Perseus down. Nick and Judy followed the Lynx, the cab taken up by the two older Rabbits.

As they stepped onto the train, Nick and Judy having stuffed their gear and outfits into their bags, civvies still on underneath, they immediately moved to the upper level, glad to see it clear of mammals.

Daedalus and Perseus followed, though slower thanks to Perseus' back wound. When they were situated, it was only a few minutes later the train began to move.

"I wish I had whatever it is you use to keep yourself so chipper." Nick suddenly said, looking at Judy. Daedalus and Perseus shared a glance, both feeling the day had been dark enough but unwilling to say anything.

"What do you mean?" Judy asked, tilting her head.

"How do you manage to stay so calm? So cheerful? How do you do that when I'm the one who's a broken mess on your parents' couch?" He asked, earning a laugh from the Bunny. She straddled him, though her intent was different than normal.

"I'm strong because I have you." She said, earning a snort from the Fox.

"That's so cheesy." He said, Judy glaring. She moved back to where she had been sitting, crossing her arms.

"It's true though." She said, pouting.

"Have I ever said it's adorable when you pout?" Nick asked, receiving a kick from the Bunny. "Ow." He said, rubbing his leg.

"You're no fun sometimes." She said, looking away pointedly.

"Well...I guess we'll be going." Daedalus said after a few minutes of silence. He nudged Perseus, who had fallen asleep. "Come on. Let's go." He said, offering the Lynx his paw.

"Five more minutes, Dae." Perseus mumbled, swiping at the paw with cracked open eyes. They closed, small, short snores immediately picking up.

"Oh my god..." Daedalus muttered, rubbing his head. "Perseus! There are cookies downstairs!" He shouted, the Lynx's eyes shooting open. He tried to get up to go downstairs, but he ended up flat on his muzzle.

"Help. Please." He said, holding his arms up.

"You are so helpless sometimes." Daedalus muttered, shaking his head and picking Perseus up. He helped the Lynx down the stairs, casting a quick glance back up at the Fox and Bunny.

"Cookies, huh? Better write that down." Nick said, pulling a pen and paper from a pouch on his bag.

"What for?" Judy asked, confusion on her face as he wrote it down, alongside Perseus' name.

"I'm collecting information on the Reclute. Possible things that can distract them on missions and the like." He explained, closing the notebook and replacing it back to it's pouch. "So far I have blueberries for me and cookies for Perseus." He said, Judy arching an eyebrow at the small list. "For some reason nobody else is willing to share." He added, Judy chuckling at that.

"You know, I was thinking..." She began, biting her lip lightly.

"Oh no." Nick said, Judy glaring at him, then rolling her eyes.

"I was thinking...and I feel like I should elaborate on what I said a few minutes ago." She said, looking at him as he glanced towards the stairs to the lower section of the maglev train.

"Go on..." He said, rolling his wrist dramatically.

"What I meant by what I said was...if I didn't have somebody like you...somebody who knew what I went through, what I've done. Somebody who understood what it was like to do what I do...I probably would've broke long ago. Even before my first Contract. You're my anchor to reality, Nick. You're my candle in a darkness brightly burning." She said, leaning against him. When she realized she had moved so close, she shot back into her seat with a squeak.

"I didn't think you minded close contact." He said, an amused look on his face.

"I didn't realize I moved, okay? So I was a bit surprised." She admitted, looking at the floor.

"I know. Now, let's get down to Perseus and Daedalus before they think we're up to something." He said, Judy chuckling and nodding.

"Yeah, let's." She agreed, standing up and following him down the stairs and into the lower part of the train. To say it was a mess was putting it lightly.

"I think mentioning cookies was a bad idea." Daedalus said, Judy and Nick looking around. "Up here." He said, Judy and Nick looking up. Judy immediately burst out laughing, whereas Nick just looked stunned.

Daedalus was currently being suspended from the roof with vines from the fake plants that dotted the train, an unamused expression on his face as he stared at them.

"What are you doing up there?" Nick asked, tilting his head.

"Oh, you know. Just hanging around." Daedalus said, Nick groaning and placing his head in his paw. "In all seriousness, though...don't promise Perseus cookies and then fail to deliver." He said, looking to his right at the sound of crashing.

"I found the cookies!" Perseus shouted, slowly crawling through the door that separated the train cars. And sure enough, he held a small paper bag in his paws.

"I guess I did deliver." Daedalus said, trying to wriggle his hips. After a few minutes, a blade slipped free and stuck to the floor. Judy looked between it and Daedalus, arching an eyebrow.

"I'll get him." Nick said, plucking the knife from where it stood and, looking up and tilting his head, he leaped.

Five minutes and a few minor cuts later, Daedalus fell to the ground, Nick dropping after him. The Coywolf took his knife back from Nick and sheathed it.

"You want one?" Perseus asked from their feet, the three mammals looking down. The Lynx held out his paw to Daedalus, a cookie clasped between his digits. "Sorry about tying you up." He said, Daedalus shrugging and taking the cookie.

"Eh. I kinda deserved it for lying. Though I suppose I wasn't in the end." Daedalus said, frowning in thought. He nibbled on the round treat, apparently thinking.

"We're sorry, you know." Perseus suddenly said, Judy and Nick turning to find him sitting in a seat. "About ruining your relationship with your family." He explained when they gave him quizzical looks, Daedalus ignoring him in favor of nibbling on the cookie some more.

"It's not your fault. We shouldn't have revealed ourselves to Bailey." Nick said sadly, sitting down as well.

"Maybe. But...we were going to tell them eventually anyway. Now we just have to worry about the kits finding out before we're ready." Judy said, crossing her arms and sitting beside Nick. She leaned against him, closing her eyes. She was asleep in seconds.

 _Two hours later_

Judy and Nick stepped off the train at the Zootopia Station, Perseus and Daedalus following. There were few mammals at the Station right now, so they didn't encounter too many mammals that even bothered to glance at them, despite the fact Daedalus was clearly helping Perseus walk.

"So we get you to a hospital, then we get you geared up when you're cleared." Judy said, making sure the Coywolf and Lynx understood.

"Understood, ma'am." They both said, making Judy pause. She hadn't been called that yet. After a few seconds, she caught back up with them.

"You don't have to call me ma'am. Veterano or Judy will do. Jonah when around the other Reclute." She said, getting looks of surprise from Daedalus and Perseus.

"Uh...are you sure? It's kind of a respect thing, to show you have rank over us." Daedalus said, Judy sighing.

"I'm sure. It's nice to know you respect me, but you don't have to call me ma'am or Nick sir." She said, Nick looking at her for a second at his name being mentioned.

"Though I'd advise you call the Mentor sir." Nick said, looking around to make sure they were in the clear as well as seeing where they were.

"Understood si-er...Maestro." Daedalus said, stopping at an alleyway. He looked down it, then looked down in thought. "Hospital is that way, right?" He asked, pointing down the alley.

"Yeah, why?" Nick asked, stopping.

"Well, wouldn't be faster to take the most direct route?" Perseus asked, Judy glancing at Nick.

"Well, we _were_ going to drop our stuff off at our apartment, then go to the hospital." Judy said, chuckling awkwardly.

"Oh. Well...you do that. I'll take Perseus." Daedalus said, albeit slightly coldly. He turned, Perseus grimacing slightly. They walked down the alley, leaving a bewildered Nick and Judy standing at it's mouth.

"I think...I think they just tested us." Nick finally said, blinking. Judy nodded her agreement, huffing quietly.

"Let's hurry up and get our stuff home. Then catch up." Judy said, Nick nodding. They walked quickly, knowing it would take the two mammals a while to reach the hospital at Perseus's speed.

"Maybe we should have Beta escort them." Nick said when they reached the building their apartment was situated in, him and Judy sharing a look.

Judy brought her left bracer from her bag the moment they entered the apartment, bringing up the different Teams. She selected Beta and sent them a message telling them she needed them to keep an eye on two of her friends, and that one would be helping the other walk. She also told them where her and Nick had last seen them.

" _Beta One, entendida."_ Fantasma said, Judy making a sound of annoyance.

" _Beta kaksi, ymmärretään."_ Lumi said, Judy groaning louder, attracting Nick's attention.

" _Beta Tre förstod."_ Is said, Nick looking over Judy's shoulder at this point. She turned, about to ask him something when she came face to chest with him.

"Oh my god, Nick!" She shouted, paw clutching her chest in surprise.

"Beta One, understood. Beta Two, understood. Beta Three, understood." He said, gesturing to her bracer. "And sorry for scaring you." he added when he received a glare, paws going up in defense.

"Thank you. For apologizing and telling me what they said." She said, huffing and walking towards their bedroom with her suitcase, set on putting her gear up.

 _POV Switch: Beta Team_

Is crouched on a rooftop, Lumi a few blocks down from him, with Fantasma a few blocks closer to the hospital. They were searching for the Coywolf and Lynx that Judy had told them about. His bracer chimed, a quick glance telling him Lumi's had as well.

" _Found them."_ Was all Fantasma said, Is standing from his crouch and running towards where Fantasma was, Lumi presumably doing the same from her position.

It took Is roughly a minute to reach Fantasma, Lumi already there.

"They went into the hospital. We'll have to leave our stuff here." Fantasma said from where he crouched. He looked at Lumi, then at Is. Both nodded.

In five minutes, they had their Brotherhood equipment in piles on the roof.

"Good thing we decided to wear our civvies underneath our gear." Is said quietly, looking for a safe but fast way down.

"Are you saying you haven't worn them under your gear before?" Lumi asked, Is freezing at the question.

"Uh...no?" He said, turning to face Lumi. He wasn't expecting her to be right there. He turned back around quickly, making a point of looking at the side of the building.

"Found a path." Lumi suddenly said, standing up and cracking her neck. She leapt, paws catching onto a pipe. She slid down it, dropping the remaining few feet at it's bottom and rolling when she landed, looking up at Is and waving.

"Den räven..." Is said, shaking his head. "Kommer ner!" He shouted, following the same path she had taken.

"Kesti tarpeeksi kauan." Lumi said when he landed, Is walking past her and letting a smirk touch his face.

"Byxor rider upp, förresten." He said, looking over his shoulder smugly. Lumi blushed, looking down and pressing her paw to her muzzle. She discreetly fixed the issue, clearing her throat awkwardly.

"I'm coming down, you two!"

 **And that does it for Chapter 8 of Zootopian Assassins! I finally figured out how to write symbols in other languages! It only took eight chapters with quite a few conversations in other languages, too! I'll still be using Google Translate, so let me know if I get anything wrong if you speak Swedish, Japanese, Finnish, Portuguese because GT doesn't have Brazilian, or Russian. Which will make an appearance at least once in any chapter with Gamma Team. Such diversified Assassins I have. But yeah, I hope you guys look forward to next chapter, because guess what ship is gonna sail! Oh yeah, baby! The USS LUMIS IS GONNA SAIL BABY! WOOOOOOH! Ahem...sorry. But yeah. Lumis sighted on the horizon. Maybe I'll do a Oneshot with them, too. Just have to wait and see, I guess. A few chapters in this story are going to be them figuring things out, though, so I have a chance to write some Fluff with characters I know. I love WildeHopps, but this will be easier...probably. Actually, it probably won't. Anyway, that does it for this chapter, and I''ll see you guys...next update. Word Count: 5,612**


	10. Hospital Visit

**Hey guys Price here and welcome to Chapter 9 of Zootopian Assassins! I will be having this chapter include a few time skips, but it hasn't been a year yet. That'll be Chapter 11. Thinking of doing one year for every ten chapters, but that'll probably change. It may not, though. Just was to wait and see, I suppose. But yeah, this chapter will start with the hospital visit from Beta and Alpha, which is just Nick and Judy for this Chapter, to see Persalus. Which is what I'll be calling Daedalus and Perseus from now on instead of a Greek Alphabet type deal with Team names. They are the last two characters to be introduced as Assassins after this, not counting Brotherhood members not yet introduced. I will be having Associates, though. You can believe that. And I purposefully left a Translation out at the end, mainly because I want it to be earned. Nothing like making your readers work for it, right? And just a warning, but this chapter gets kinda dark. Better warn you before people get triggered and try to find out where I live. Anyway, that's enough blabbering, I think it's time to get...onto the story!**

"I'm coming down, you two!" Fantasma shouted, Lumi and Is taking a few steps away from the pipe. The Black Panther leaped, the Lapine and Vulpine covering their ears as the cat's claws scraped the metal.

"Ah, gud som suger!" Is exclaimed, grimacing.

"Jeesus Kristus moottoripyörällä!" Lumi exclaimed, Is hearing it over the scratching noise. When Fantasma landed, he cast a look of worry at them.

"Sorry about that. I guess it was a reflex or something." He said meekly, hunching his shoulders higher and lowering his head, offering an apologetic smile.

"It's fine. Just hurt a bit." Lumi said, shaking her head. When Is nodded his agreement, Fantasma perked up instantly. He nodded once in thanks, then walked past them.

Is took his paws off his ears, looking at Lumi with an amused expression.

"Really? A motorbike?" He asked, Lumi shrugging.

"It was the first that that came to mind." She said, Is chuckling at that.

"It'd be an interesting thing to see, for sure." He said, shaking his head.

"Let's just go see these two Recluta." Lumi said, huffing slightly at Is and following Fantasma. Is followed, still chuckling at her wording.

When they entered, they walked over to the reception desk where a young looking Jaguar sat, looking at her claws in a critical manner.

"Uh, ma'am?" Fantasma asked when she didn't react, startling the Jaguar.

"Oh! Yes. Sorry. Are you here to see somebody?" She asked, Fantasma looking around quickly.

"Yes." He said, leaning closer to the desk. "There should be a Lynx going by the name of Perseus in one of the rooms for a back injury. We're friends of his." He said, gesturing to Lumi and Is after himself.

"Okay..." The Jaguar said, looking at her computer. "Yeah! Floor five. Room E512." She said, Fantasma nodding his gratitude, moving to leave. "Oh! Would you mind leaving your names here? For visitors, it's necessary. And could I talk to you for a minute?" She asked, looking at Fantasma, who blinked in surprise. After about five full seconds had passed, he smiled.

"No problem, bonita." He said, scribbling their names on the piece of paper she handed him. He missed the Jaguar blush at the word, though Lumi nudged Is and jerked her head softly. The Hare nodded, and the duo walked towards the elevator.

"So...Fantasma, huh?" The Jaguar asked, looking at his name.

"Sim. That is me." He said, placing a paw over his chest and bowing respectively. "At your service."

"Oh, you don't have to be so kind, really. I mean, I'm not saying you shouldn't be kind, obviously! Just that I wasn't expecting you to be so much of a gentlemammal. No, wait, that sounds wrong. Uh..." She trailed off when Fantasma chuckled.

"I was raised to treat all mammals with respect. Especially females. So it is no bother for me, I promise you." He said, and he smiled reassuringly.

"I really shouldn't ask you this but...você é solteiro?" She asked, Fantasma blinking in surprise. He hadn't been expecting that.

"Eu sou." He answered, the Jaguar blushing slightly.

"Sério? Eu não posso imaginar por que!" She said, Fantasma laughing quietly at that.

"E se você?" He asked, leaning against the desk slightly.

"Sim. Eu sou um pouco ocupado para um relacionamento..." She answered, blushing even more now at the confession.

"Eu conheço o sentimento..." He said, smiling sadly.

"Talvez pudéssemos...entontrar para jantar algum tempo?" The Jaguar asked, Fantasma staring at her in shock.

"Eu...adoriara." He said, the Jaguar smiling at him. "May I ask your name?" He asked, turning his head to the left slightly.

"Amanda. Amanda Acosta." She answered, smiling at him.

"Nice to meet you, senhorita Acosta." Fantasma said, smiling back and bowing again. He turned and walked after Lumi and Is, who stood on each side of the elevator.

"Cat's in the bag." Is said, smirking teasingly at Fantasma and entering the elevator. Lumi rolled her eyes, shaking her head and following.

"You could say that." He said when he entered, turning and pressing the button for floor five. He faced the doors, unaware of the silent conversation that was about to erupt behind him.

Lumi turned to face Is, annoyance in her eyes.

 _'Is there a problem?'_ He asked in sign, Lumi narrowing her eyes.

 _'That was not funny.'_ She said, Is shrugging.

 _'He chuckled at it. So somebody found it funny besides me.'_ He said, looking at her smugly.

 _'Pity chuckle.'_ She said, Is about to respond when the doors opened.

"What room was it again? E512?" He asked, looking at the Arctic Fox.

"That is correct, yes." She said, glaring at Is when he opened his mouth to say something. He closed it, groaning in annoyance quietly. She watched Fantasma as he stood in front of a map of the rooms, arms crossed and head tilted slightly.

"This way." Fantasma said, pointing to the left. They followed him as he made his way down the hallway, looking for the room. After a few minutes of searching, they found it. Fantasma entered and Is closed the door behind them, only for a blade to touch Fantasma's throat when he opened the divider.

"Who are you?" Somebody asked, Fantasma staring directly ahead at the Lynx in the bed.

"I'm looking for a Daedalus and Perseus." He said, the blade pressing harder. He grimaced, growling in annoyance.

"Good to know, but not what I want to know right now. Who are you?" The voice asked, Fantasma flicking his tail.

"A friend of Nick and Judy's." He answered, the blade retreating after a few seconds.

"I'm Daedalus. What is it you want?" The voice asked, Fantasma looking to his left to see a Coywolf sheath a knife.

"Judy tasked us with keeping an eye on you. Make sure nothing...happened." He answered, earning a snort from the Coywolf.

"So if you're Daedalus, I assume he's Perseus." Lumi said, gesturing to the Lynx in the bed.

"You'd be correct. And if you were curious, Nick shot me in the back." Perseus said, making Beta consecutively blink at the same time.

"Uh...why?" Is asked, arching an eyebrow.

"We were members of the Templar Hit Squad sent after them." Daedalus answered, Fantasma rounding on him, only to find the blade already at his throat like the Coywolf had expected the reaction.

"We're...reformed, if you will, now." Perseus said, watching the event play out with an amused expression.

"So you're Assassins now." Lumi stated, Perseus nodding. Daedalus smiled at Fantasma, flipping the knife fancily before sheathing it.

"Yep. Docs say the wound isn't too serious, but I will be bedded for a few days so it can heal." Perseus said, shrugging.

"Bedded?" Is asked, arching an eyebrow.

"Not like that. Stop it." Lumi said, smacking upside the head playfully.

"Ow. You act like we're mates or something." He said, chuckling and shaking his head.

"Right..." Lumi said, smiling sadly. Perseus glanced at Daedalus, and he glanced at Fantasma. Is seemed to realize he said something wrong when it went incredibly silent in the room, because he turned to look at Lumi with a questioning gaze.

"Is...something wrong, Lumi?" He asked, the Arctic Fox blinking at being addressed, like she was lost in thought.

"No. I just...need a second." She said, turning around and walking out, an uncomfortable look on her face.

About ten seconds later, Judy and Nick walked in, bewildered looks on their faces as they looked between the door and the other mammals in the room.

"Um...what just happened?" Judy asked, concern in her voice.

"Not sure. Perseus said he was going to be bedded for a few days and I repeated it in a questioning way, and I guess Lumi thought I was being perverted or something. She smacked me upside the head and I told her she was acting like we're mates or something." Is said, Judy and Nick exchanging glances. "Did I say something wrong?" Is asked, apparently just realizing that he may have accidentally insulted Lumi.

"Well...Foxes mate for life, Is. So to some, it's considered inappropriate to joke about that kind of thing. So I'd assume it's that." Nick answered, though it was obvious he didn't actually know.

"Great. So I should probably apologize, right?" Is asked, Nick sighing.

"It's...more complicated than that. It may be she just got uncomfortable and isn't into that sort of thing. Or...the comment hit a little close to home." He said, Is blinking in confusion. After a few seconds, understanding seemed to hit him, because his eyes widened and he dashed out the door.

"You do realize that if she just got uncomfortable, you may be making Is do something that could damage whatever chance they have, right?" Judy asked, Nick shrugging.

"I have faith, Judy." Nick said, Judy snorting at that.

"Right. Sure you do." She said, Nick rolling his eyes and walking over to Perseus.

 _POV Switch: Reclute Is And Lumi_

Is looked around upon exiting the room Perseus was confined to for a few days. The idea of accidentally insulting Lumi was quite high on his list of things _**not**_ to do.

He saw a security guard at the corner, and he ran over.

"Is there something wrong, sir?" The security guard asked, looking down at the Hare with an indifferent expression.

"An Arctic Fox just left the room I was in. Did you see which way she went?" He asked, the guard nodding.

"She went the other way. Some Wolf followed her." He said, Is nodding his thanks and running in the other direction.

Lumi entered the janitor's closet and sat down in the nearest chair, then immediately bent over and clenched her teeth in an effort to keep the cry on anguish from escaping. Her paw clenched and punched the table next to her, hot tears spilling from her eyes.

"Se ei ole reilua! Se ei ole reilua! Se ei ole reilua..." She cried out, clenching her teeth again as all her emotions rocked her body, tears still streaming from her eyes.

"Well, what's a pretty little Fox like yourself doing in here crying your eyes out?" Somebody asked, Lumi looking up to see a Wolf looking at her from the doorway, a hungry look in his eyes. He took a step closer, gently closing the door with his foot.

"Don't...don't come any closer!" She said, already knowing where this was going. The one time her love of Animalian TV films was actually helpful.

"Oh come on. Don't be shy! I'm sure you have plenty of tricks, after all." The Wolf said, stepping closer.

"I don't want to hurt you." Lumi said, her gaze slowly hardening as she realized the Canine had no intention of leaving either satisfied or hurt beyond measure.

"What? You think that you, a _female_ , can do something against me?" He asked, Lumi narrowing her eyes. So he was _that_ kind of mammal.

"I've taken down tougher." She said, her response earning a snort and another step from the Wolf.

"Why should I believe you?" He asked, taking another step. He was now close enough for either of them to make a move, if they so chose.

"I don't need you to believe me. I need you to experience me." She said, immediately realizing her phrasing when the Wolf grinned lecherously at her.

"I like the sound of that." He said, suddenly in front of her and gripping her arms before she knew he had even taken a step.

"No! I will not-" She was cut off by a knee to the stomach, driving all the wind from her.

"I don't need you to." The Wolf said, bringing his muzzle in close and trailing a long, wet lick up the side of her neck. She clenched her teeth, trying to hold in the noises he wanted to elicit.

He nipped lightly, a small chuckle escaping him as Lumi squirmed.

"Stop! Please!" She begged, crying for a different reason now.

"Hey!" Somebody shouted from the door, Lumi looking past the Wolf to see Is standing there, a look of anger on his face. The Wolf was suddenly behind her, a butterfly knife open and against her throat. She was not liking how he could move before she knew he was.

"I don't need her alive. Just warm." He said, pressing the knife harder. A small droplet of blood collected on the flat of the blade, the Wolf trailing another lick up her neck.

"Just...go. I'm not worth it." She said, Is blinking in shock.

"Yes. Listen to the pretty Vixen. Go on back to your burrow. Maybe pop out a few more children." The Wolf said, Is clenching a paw at the words.

"You know...there are two cops just a few rooms down. I'm sure they'd love to have their attention gained for something like this." Is said, the Wolf's eyes widening slightly at that. Then the grin was back seconds later.

"I can be done before they arrive." He said, Lumi smiling despite the situation.

"I was wondering why you didn't have a girlfriend to try this with." She said, the Wolf growling at her. His jaws snapped close to her ear, making her flinch.

"Shut up! You aren't being addressed right now!" He said, teeth bared now. Lumi threw her head back, catching the Wolf in the nose and teeth. She tried to run, but he managed to grab her by the arm before she could get more than a foot away. She was pulled back against him, the knife back and a disturbing feature pressing against her leg.

"You're lucky I like feisty." He said, chuckling maniacally and noisily licking his jaws, trying to make her afraid.

Is was there suddenly, a leg coming up and between the Wolf's legs. It was awfully close to hitting her, but he managed to only hit the male behind her.

The Wolf yelped in pain, knife disappearing from her neck as his paws automatically clutched his wounded bits.

Lumi swung back around sending a leg into the side of his head and into the wall, where it hit with a sickening _crunch_.

"Ugh. I am so going to kill both of you." The Wolf groaned out, growling and swiping a paw at Is. The Hare caught the paw across his side, sending him skidding away.

"Is!" Lumi shouted, worry taking place of the fear she had been feeling only moments ago. She faced the Wolf, who stood up with a growl.

"Though...I wouldn't mind a little taste before I do it." He said, Lumi gulping slightly.

"You won't get far." She said, keeping an eye on the knife that had fallen from the Wolf's grip.

"I'll get far enough." He said, lunging at her. She sent out her leg, ducking her his arms and tripping him up. Then she leaped for the knife, barely managing to grab it before he pulled her towards him. He flipped her over and she struck, sinking the knife into his shoulder. He shouted in pain, standing up and backing away from her as his paw rested on his shoulder, just beside his wound.

Lumi stood, her gaze hard.

Her paw went behind her, where she had left her gun.

"No. You won't." She said, yanking the sidearm from it's holster and pointing the barrel at the Wolf. He seemed to realize she was serious, because his gaze lit up with fear.

"No hold on a mi-" He didn't get to finish his sentence, Lumi sending her first shot right between his eyes. He crumpled to the ground, and seconds later paws pounded outside the door. Lumi sank to her knees at the realization of what she'd done, legs spayed out to either side of her and pistol resting it's barrel against the ground.

"Anyone hurt-" Judy stopped her question at the site of Lumi, her gaze flicking to the Wolf only briefly. "Lumi..." She said, running over and wrapping her paws around her neck comfortably.

"I...I am being fine. Check Is." She said, looking over her shoulder at where the Hare lay against the wall, not having moved from where he'd struck.

"Nick!" Judy shouted, said Fox running in. He also only spared a passing glance at the dead Wolf, looking at Judy for instruction. "Is." She said, pointing at the Hare. He nodded, running over and kneeling by the Hare, fingers prodding the mammal's neck. He looked at Judy and let out a relieved breath, nodding.

"He's alive. Just stunned." He said, Lumi turning away from Judy. She stood, walking over towards Is. Nick moved over to Judy, nudging her and gesturing to the door.

"We'll be right back, you two." Judy said, though her words fell on deaf ears as Lumi kneeled next to the Hare.

"Is..." Lumi said, placing a paw on his shoulder and shaking slightly.

"Ugh. Stop shaking. Side sore." He said, Lumi immediately retracting her paw.

"Are...are you being okay?" She asked, worry evident.

"If you were a Bunny I'd say you cared about me." He teased, earning a small laugh from Lumi despite her worry.

"You idiot. I do not need to be a Bunny to care!" Lumi exclaimed, Is chuckling lightly. He stopped with a grimace, clutching his side.

"Lumi...it's fine." He said, reaching up to place a comforting paw on her shoulder.

"It is not! You could have died, Is! And...and I realized I couldn't live with that! Without you! You were so nice to me when we met...and I reacted so negatively when you tried to comfort me! I pushed you away when I needed somebody the most! I...I know why I came back, now." She said, having shrugged his paw off in her tirade.

"Lumi, please...stop." He said, getting uncomfortable with where her tone was going. He wasn't _against_ the thought, necessarily, but he knew it could decrease performance on the job and this wasn't a very forgiving lifestyle.

"I...I can't, Is. If I don't get it out now I never will. I came back to you...back then...because...koska rakastan sinua!" She shouted, Is freezing at the confession. "Minä...en panisi pahakseni kutsutaan rakastaja...vaikka jouduin odottamaan milijoona vuotta!" She said, tears streaming down her face again as she sank to her knees again in front of Is, who had no idea how to react.

So, he did what logic told him to do.

He cupped Lumi's face gently and pressed his lips against hers, Lumi making a noise of shock. When they broke apart, Lumi's eyes were unfocused, almost glazed.

"Jag älskar dig också, snö." Is said, Lumi's eyes snapping back to reality at his first word. When he finished, her eyes began to water again. "Det är oprofessionellt. Men...Jag börjar inse att jag bryr mig ite." He added, Lumi laughing despite the hurricane of emotions she felt.

"Sinjä ja ammattitaito..." She said, coming in for another kiss.

Is gladly gave it.

 **And that does it for Chapter 9 of Zootopian Assassins! This is much shorter than I'd prefer, but I just couldn't bring myself to write any more after sitting here for hours thinking of how I could. All the results were super cringe inducing, and I just couldn't. I'm not gonna lie...the thing with the Wolf may or may not have been inspired by watching Kirito's fight against...uh...what's his name? The guy that tries to do the do with Asuna while he makes Kirito watch. Him. Yeah. The anime may have it's issues, but I stand by that it is a good anime. Plus...I watch Elfen Lied regularly so it's not that bothersome to me. Plus it's anime. It's not real, so I see no reason to get so bent out of shape about it. Anyway, this is getting off track. Yes, I very much intend on writing a Oneshot with Lumis. When? Don't know. Some day. Maybe soon. Maybe after the ending where I gouge out your hearts and feast on your misery. Maybe never, because I'm a forgetful piece of crap. Let's be honest, though. Say "I" in the comments or reviews if you knew they were gonna get together. I bet you all did. I didn't until I wrote the ending to last Chapter, which was slightly different at first. But that's because most of my plot is made up as I go. There are going to be two to three Contracts per arc, separated by each ten Chapters. Next Chapter will end the First Blood arc, obviously named after the fact almost all the main characters draw their first drop of blood in this arc. Probably gonna have Is draw his First Blood next chapter, but maybe not. And the Oneshot with Lumis will be at** ** _least_** **ten thousand words, since I want to both include their history and a little bit extra for those who like them. They've known each other for a long time, I assure you. And, be warned, Lumi's backstory may look and sound oddly like Riina's from Sounds of the Heart by Selaxes. This is because Riina was a major inspiration for Lumi. Bailey was kind of inspiration for Is as well, though I changed a few things about him. Although Lumi also has a small amount of inspiration from Kaede and Mayu's backstories as well from Elfen Lied. If you've seen the anime, you know what to expect. And yes, I did just give Fantasma a possible love interest. Why, you ask? Well, because it's only fair since almost every single main character has one. Alright, it's late when I'm writing this so I'm gonna go to bed. No Translation this Chapter because I want to see you guys work for it. Anyway, that's enough of that, I'll see you guys...next update. Word Count: 3,936**


	11. Decisions

**Hey guys Price here and welcome to Chapter 10 of Zootopian Assassins! This marks the end of the First Blood arc, so I hope you guys enjoy it! I'm currently working on a Oneshot for Lumis, which is the Lumi x Is ship. So much Finnish is being typed it's not even funny. I'm not even gonna bother with a Translation, but it'll be AO3 exclusive until I can make it fit the rules on Ratings. So yeah, sorry you guys on have to miss out on it until then unless you check it out on AO3, but it'll be a while. I'm like...a fifth of the way done with it but it's gonna be ten thousand words at least so it may take me a little while to actually get it done. Plus I'm not that good at writing the kinds of things that'll be in it, so it may take me longer because of that. I will include most of the scenes from it in Beta team's backstory Chapter though, so you guys aren't missing out if you decide to wait. Probably gonna finish the Oneshot first and then write Beta's backstory Chapter so I can just copy and paste Lumi's backstory because I'm lazy like that. Anyway, this Author's Note is getting long enough, I think it's time to get...onto the story!**

Lumi and Is exited the janitor's closet, looking around awkwardly.

"Well...took you guys long enough." Somebody said to their left. They turned to see Nick leaning against the wall next to the door, a grin plastered on his muzzle.

"How uh...how long have you been standing there?" Is asked nervously, Lumi grimacing at his nervous tone.

"Long enough. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go and collect." He said, pushing off from the wall and walking past the stunned duo. When he was out of earshot, they turned to each other.

"He totally bet on us." Is said, incredulous at the revelation.

"Voi hyvänen aika..." Lumi muttered, rubbing her forehead. "That is being so not appropriate." She said, looking at the Hare in front of her in an exasperated way.

"I agree. But, knowing him, he probably knew what to look for when it came to spotting hidden feelings." Is said, Lumi sighing.

"You are right. He probably saw all the little things that those kinds of mammals have, the ones with hidden feelings." She said, frowning at the thought that somebody else knew she cared about somebody more than platonically before she did.

"Disturbing, isn't it?" Is asked, Lumi nodding.

"It is being kind of weird how somebody can know you love somebody before you do." She agreed, looking around suddenly. Her muzzle leaned against a fist, and she nervously nibbled on a digit.

"What?" Is asked, curious why she seemed so nervous all of a sudden.

"I just realized other mammals could overhear us." She said, Is scoffing at that.

"So?" He asked, Lumi blinking in shock.

"It's just...I don't like the thought of someone hearing something I don't want them to hear." She answered, trying to word it in a way that made it clear she wasn't ashamed of her new relationship, just uncomfortable with it becoming public knowledge. Is smiled reassuringly.

"Lumi, you do realize that most mammals don't actually care, right? I mean, didn't Gazelle hook up with one of her backup dancers or something?" He asked, Lumi making a sound of annoyance. He was right, but the thought of just freely talking about a relationship with _anybody_ made her uncomfortable. Probably why she had never had anyone but her parents to go places with growing up.

"I know that, Is. I just worry about the rest of them. I know I shouldn't and that their opinions shouldn't matter, but I grew up in a place where everybody was accepted for who they were. Sure some mammals may not have liked some things about other mammals, but they wouldn't say anything out of respect. It's different here and that scares me. Mammals have been killed here for loving other species, hell, even just for loving the same gender. So I'm naturally going to be afraid of bringing this up in public. I grew up faster than any mammal should, but I'm happy I did. Mammals who are blinded by fantasies of what the world could be are often very... _very_ disappointed when they grow up. My father wouldn't let me be disappointed in the world. He taught me to shoot a gun when I was eight. I was shooting a forty five at thirteen. My introduction to firearms was a nine millimeter that ended up dislocating my jaw because I didn't expect the recoil. But I continued because I knew that if I wasn't prepared for the world...something horrible could happen. So tell me I worry too much about these things, but it's who I am. I can't change that, Is." She said, Is blinking at her sympathetically.

"I understand, Lumi. I just worry that you'll worry too much and have some kind of panic attack. I heard those aren't good if you want to be a parent." He said teasingly, though the reminder that, biologically, they could try all their lives and never have kits while somebody else got lucky their first try hurt.

"Right...parents." She said, Is' teasing smile faltering at her tone.

"Lumi...ah, there I go again! Saying things without thinking." He said, looking at the floor. Lumi knelt down to his level, making him look her in the eye.

"That's one of the things I love about you, Is. Never change who you are just because society frowns upon you." She said, bringing their lips together in a tender but affectionate kiss. When they pulled apart, Is was panting despite the quickness of it.

"I won't, Lumi. As long as you don't change either." He said, the Fox shaking her head.

"I won't, Is. Society can go and fu-"

"Ahem." Somebody said, Lumi turning around to see a Tigress with two cubs.

"Sorry." Lumi said, the Tigress dipping her head in thanks.

"Sorry to interrupt your moment...but there are kits here. Save that kind of language for home." She said, Lumi blushing at the implications of the sentence.

"Yes ma'am." Lumi said, turning back to Is, embarrassment practically written on her face with a marker it was so obvious. The Tigress walked past them, a small chuckle escaping her at the Fox's embarrassment.

"Gud hjälp oss." Is said, shaking his head.

"Let's just go back to the room." Lumi said, walking past Is and towards the room Perseus would be staying in for a few days while his back wound healed.

Is sighed and followed, shaking his head once more.

When they arrived, they stood outside the door.

"Yeah, I kinda get where you're coming from with this nervousness thing." Is said, looking up at Lumi.

"I was wondering when you would." Lumi said, paw hovering over the door handle.

"Our teachers are a bit different than society." Is retorted, glaring at the Fox.

"I suppose you are right. Still glad you understand though." She said, smiling warmly at him. Her paw still hovered over the door knob. Is sighed.

"For god's sake." He muttered, reaching forward and opening the door. He looked up at Lumi, smiled reassuringly, and walked in. She hesitated for a moment, then followed.

"Hey, Is! Lumi! What took you guys so long?" Judy asked, and Is let out an annoyed sigh when Nick chose that moment to tap her on the shoulder. When Judy turned to look at him, he flipped his paw over and made a come hither gesture.

"Pay up." He said, Judy's mouth visibly dropping open.

"No!" She said, looking at Is and Lumi in shock. Lumi blushed and found the floor suddenly very interesting, while Is merely smiled. Judy whirled on Nick, annoyance in her eyes. "You knew!" She exclaimed, jabbing a finger into his chest.

"First off, ow." He said, rubbing where she had poked him. "Secondly, I was a con artist. I learned to read the small things. Body language, subtle glances, the occasional ashamed look. Things like that." He said, crossing his arms. His muzzle opened as if to say something.

"Don't you dare." Judy said, already knowing where he was going.

"It's called a hustle, sweetheart." He said, bending over until he was almost touching her muzzle with his. "Boom."

"You dared." She said, crossing her arms and tapping her foot on the floor.

"Now, I think it's only fair I collect my due." Nick said, extending his paw. Judy sighed before reaching into her pocket. It came up empty, as did the rest of her searches.

"Oh no, I don't have my wallet." She said, Nick smirking at that. His paw flashed out, everybody staring in shock as he poked her chest.

"You're wearing your vest." He said pointedly, Judy growling low in her throat. Her paw disappeared down her shirt, coming up with a wallet. "That's better." He said, extending his paw again.

"Fine, fine." Judy grumbled, taking out a bill and handing it to Nick. He gladly took it, Judy replacing the wallet from where it had come.

"Thank you." He said, standing up and grinning happily. He looked up to see both Lumi and Is both had mortified expressions.

"I can't believe you actually bet on us." Is said, Nick shrugging.

"Well, I'm not a gambling mammal, usually. Only when I know I have a ninety to ten chance." He said, Judy arching an eyebrow.

"Right..." Judy muttered, shaking her head.

"Oh! Just so you guys know, the docs are gonna be coming in soon to stitch up my back with those fancy dissolving stitches. So you're gonna have to go because it's deemed as surgery, and they don't allow visitors in during those things." Perseus suddenly said, everybody else staring at him. He'd been mostly silent the whole time.

"Right! Right, sorry. We'll just be going." Judy said, pulling on Nick's shirt sleeve. "We have something we need to check out, anyway." She added, Nick nodding his agreement.

"Really important stuff." Nick said, following Judy as she walked out the door.

"...I get the feeling they're going to be checking each other out." Fantasma muttered, chuckling lightly.

"Most likely." Daedalus said, shaking his head. "I swear I thought they were gonna go at it on the train ride back. Apparently not." He said, frowning slightly

"You mean apparently _knot._ " Is said, earning full blown laughter from everybody in the room. Even Lumi, who was normally against those kinds of jokes, laughed at it.

"I can honestly say I would have never thought of that." Fantasma said, clutching his side.

"I've been waiting for the chance to make that joke since I met them, I swear." Is said, shaking his head. "Wasn't expecting it to get such a strong reaction, though." Is said, shrugging and looking surprised.

"Alright. On that note, have fun for the next few days, Perseus. I'm going to familiarize myself with the gear I'm going to be using as an Assassin." Daedalus said, chuckling again at the joke and walking out.

"I...guess we'll be going too." Lumi said, realizing she had no idea what to do now. Her and Is turned to walk out the door, only stopping when Perseus called out.

"I'd suggest going straight home and really laying on the scent blocker." He said, Lumi blushing and eyes widening.

"We will...we will be doing that." She managed to get out, walking out the door quickly. Is followed, biting on his lip.

"Perhaps we should have waited until we got home to do...well, anything." He finally said when they were in the elevator, sighing.

"I think you are being correct." Lumi said, Is glancing at her.

"Maybe we should work on that. You tend to slip back into your accent and speech patterns when you get emotionally excited or stressed." He said, though he meant it in a friendly way.

"How come you never suggested it before?" She asked, turning to face him.

"I have. Every single year since we've known each other. You keep saying no because it would feel wrong to forsake what little evidence of your country of origin you have left." He said, Lumi blinking. Had she really?

"Oh." She said, frowning.

"It's fine, though. I don't mind it, I just thought you would want to try and fit in a bit more. It doesn't help to stick out here, after all." He said, Lumi smiling at him thankfully.

"I'll keep it in mind." She said, Is nodding. The doors opened with a _ping!_ and they stepped out to see Fantasma chatting with the front desk lady from earlier.

"I really hope we don't have to drag him out. It wouldn't do him any favors if he had to be physically dragged away from his crush." Is said, Fantasma's ear twitching in his direction. The Jaguar lowered her head, probably to try and hide a blush.

"I think your friends are here." He heard her say, and realized his words had come out louder than he'd meant them to.

"I think they are." Fantasma said, looking over at Is and Lumi with annoyance.

"I think we should be going, Is." Lumi said, Is nodding his agreement. They both turned and walked towards the doors to the outside.

"So, tomorrow right? Eight?" Fantasma asked, turning back to the Jaguar behind the desk. She nodded, Fantasma dipping his head in farewell and turning to leave.

"See you then." The Jaguar said, Fantasma pausing. He turned and smiled, then nodded in confirmation. He turned back around and walked out, scowling at Is when he saw him standing on the other side of the street.

"Is saying I'm sorry good enough?" Is asked, holding up his paws in defense. He staggered back when a paw connected with his muzzle, shaking his head to clear it. "That's a no." He said, shaking his head. Fantasma came forward again, and Is was only spared another punch when Lumi appeared from nowhere, stepping between them.

"That's enough, Fantasma. Superiors do not fight their subordinates." She said, hearing a small noise of complaint from Is. "Yes, Is, I know we are all the same rank. But he is our designated leader, and we have to respect that." She said, not even sparing the Hare a glance.

Fantasma sighed, then sent one last glare at Is before he turned away and faced the wall. With a small grunt of satisfaction, he backed up a few steps, then ran forward. He leaped, pushing off from the wall and flipping in the air to cling to the pipe they had used to get down. He slowly lowered himself until he reached where it curved back into the building and allowed himself to swing. His back hit the wall and he grunted, and after a few seconds he turned himself around and began climbing. He disappeared over the edge of the roof and, and few seconds later, he reappeared as a quick silhouette before he disappeared on the other side, where their gear was.

A few minutes later, and he reappeared in his Brotherhood outfit. He dropped their bracers down to them. Is caught his fine, but Lumi almost missed hers.

"Let's go." Is said, looking at Lumi. They nodded at each other and raised their bracers, firing the Rope Launchers and reeling themselves up to the roof.

They were in their Brotherhood outfits in two minutes, and then they were off.

 _Thirty Minutes Later_

Is stepped into the apartment he shared with Lumi. Originally, it was just as a means of sticking together when they had decided to. For survival, of course. Now, after the day they had had, it took on a new meaning. At least today explained why Lumi had agreed so easily.

Lumi entered behind him, closing the door.

Is had barely shrugged off the upper portion of his outfit before Lumi was on him.

Is froze, surprised by the sudden act of affection as Lumi pressed her lip against his. After a few seconds, he pressed back.

And a few moments later, they broke apart.

"Got any pans for later?" Is asked, although teasingly.

"Just to stay home. Maybe sleep the rest of the day away with my mate." Lumi answered, pressing her lips against his again.

"Ah, so you have a mate." He said when they broke apart again, smiling at Lumi as she shrugged off the top portion of her outfit.

"Yeah. Is that an issue?" She asked, panting slightly.

"When is he due to come home?" Is asked, shrugging out of the shirt he had on under his Brotherhood outfit.

"Any minute now." Lumi answered, copying Is with fluidity.

"Sounds like a risk." He quipped, smiling at her.

"Life is not worth living without risks." Lumi fired back, walking towards the bedroom, a noticeable sway to her hips, which she normally never had. At least not so obvious.

She looked over her shoulder at Is, and opened the door. She flicked her tail at him, walking into the room.

And Is followed like a Hound on a trail.

 _Two Thirty PM, Next Day_

Is lay in the bed he and Lumi had always shared. Now though it, like the apartment, took on a whole new meaning after the day prior. And what a day it had been.

Lumi had been attacked, and the creep had nearly gotten away with it. And he would have, if Is hadn't followed Lumi out of concern. And then...their relationship had been fed a diet of gasoline and a lighter, fueled by jet fuel. And nitrous. And pretty much anything that could boost it more.

They had literally gone from good friends with repressed feelings neither wanted to acknowledge to mates in the span of five minutes. Whether or not that was a good thing would depend on how they treated their new relationship and, more importantly, the repercussions it would inevitably have on them and their friends.

"Hey...Is?" Lumi asked, Is looking over to see Lumi looking at him with eyes half open.

"Yes, Lumi?" He asked, rolling over onto his side.

"Do you think...do you think we went too fast?" She asked, worry edging her voice. Is opened his mouth to say no, but he realized that he couldn't say that. Not in good faith. Finally, he sighed in defeat.

"I don't know, Lumi. Only time can answer that question." He said, laying his arm across her shoulder in comfort. "But if so, then it was the best relationship rush ever." He added teasingly, eliciting a smile from Lumi despite the subject.

"If we did rush things, Is...I hope we can still talk afterwards. Still be friends." She said, sitting up. Is followed, confusion etching into his features.

"Of course, Lumi! We've been friends for almost seventeen years! Nothing can change that!" He said, although he knew that, as most things like this ended on sour notes and ruined friendships, Lumi couldn't believe that until he proved it.

"I hope not, Is." She said, leaning forward and resting her muzzle on his shoulder. Her body followed, situating herself onto Is' lap as she let him simply hold her in an attempt to comfort her.

"I won't say that things won't be different if this is temporary, Lumi. It would be impossible for things to go back to normal like this never happened. But I would try my best to still be a source of comfort when you needed it." He said, letting the Arctic Fox sit there as he held her.

"Just like old times?" She asked, voice hitching as she tried to hold back tears.

"Just like old times." He promised, resting his chin on her shoulder.

"I love you, Is" She said, Is smiling slightly.

"Love you too, Lumi." He said, placing a tender, caring kiss on her neck. Nothing to try and bring her back to being ready for more, just a silent promise he'd do his best to do right by her.

 **And that does it for Chapter 10 of Zootopian Assassins! Jesus Christ I need to stop writing Fluff like this. Otherwise I'll never get to five thousands words again! But yeah, I intended this to be slightly different, but it kinda evolved into this and I'm proud of it. Especially the ending segment. Normally I write these either really mentally strong characters or really mentally scarred characters. Lumi is my first attempt at a normal character, with your everyday fears and needs. I hope I accurately conveyed these kinds of fears that Lumi has, since I've only ever been in one relationship and, while we consider ourselves still maybe-dating, we don't get a chance to talk very often and when we do I'm...not a very outwardly emotional person unless it's something to do with the Warriors book series, Mockingjay Part Two because Katniss telling Buttercup Prim was dead just absolutely destroyed me for some reason, or snakes. So that's led to a lot of awkward silences and just in general communication failures when we do talk. I apologize for unloading all this on you guys, because it wasn't my intention, but I felt like I needed to try and explain a little bit why I don't do emotions well. I love Zootopia, don't get me wrong, but WildeHopps is the only thing that ever emotionally invested me. It's one of those ships where it's ambiguity is what makes it so alluring. There are all these small hints throughout the film, especially the ending with the infamous dialogue. You all know the scene. I hope. But yeah, I'm starting to get kinda emotionally invested in Lumis in an attempt to flesh out my characters better. Show that they are just your everyday mammals who are being thrust into a life they never imagined they could be a part of. I feel like they've handled things rather realistically, but I've yet to have any confirmation or denying come my way on those parts, so I'm not sure. And if you guys are curious, Lumi killing the Wolf last Chapter is not her first kill. It's her first cold-blooded murder, though. And she kinda realized that after the fact, which is what I tried to convey. She realized the Wolf may have killed or possibly put Is in a coma, and she didn't have the chance to tell him how she felt yet. So she kind of snapped, in a way. She didn't want to kill the Wolf, but the realization that she may not have the chance to express her feelings to Is blinded her to her actions until she pulled the trigger. In a way it's kinda like Seras Victoria's Blood Rages in Hellsing Ultimate. But it's rage instead of bloodlust. The realization that she had taken a life for no real reason broke her, and I'm trying to convey that right now. She's a broken character because of what she's done, and Is is her only source of comfort in the emotional Hell she's currently going through. So, in an attempt to properly convey that, the next Arc will mainly focus on Lumi coming to terms with her new lifestyle. There will still be action and a few Contracts, of that I promise you, but the Turmoil Arc is mainly focusing on Lumi and Is and how Lumi comes to terms with the fact she murdered somebody in cold blood. So expect some semi steamy Chapters in the Turmoil Arc, but nothing to warrant any warnings on or anything. No true smut, just very suggestive Chapters and the like. I'm thinking about breaking the Chapters up with various screenshots at Lumi and Is' pasts throughout the Turmoil Arc, but only short segments. Zootopian Assassins: Lumis will deal with the main story of that. And holy Hell this is a long Author's Note! SIX HUNDRED WORDS ALONE! Thanks for reading you guys. I really do appreciate it. Anyway, I'm sorry this is so long, so I'll see you guys...next update. Word Count: 4,131**


	12. Turmoil

**Hey guys Price here and welcome to Chapter 11 of Zootopian Assassins! As promised, this begins the Turmoil Arc, where Lumi deals with the fact that she killed a Wolf in cold blood in Chapter 9. Now, I know this may seem to be like it's overplaying events and emotional baggage from something like this, but I wouldn't know. I've seen plenty of dead things. Never once felt disgusted. No pity, wishing it hadn't happened, nothing. Just accepting the fact they were dead and moving on. That's how it is in life. You are born, you live your life, and you die. Nothing else. I promise I'm not a Psychopath. I know because I emptied out my emergency ice cream stash watching Mockingjay Part 2 last week. But yeah, I promise that this Author's Note won't be as long as the one at the end of Chapter 10, which I still apologize for, but I hope you guys read it. It offers some insight into events that are currently happening with Lumi and her emotional state. Not too many, but enough to get a rough idea of what she's feeling and why I'm doing these things. Anyway, this is getting long enough, I think it's time to get...onto the story!**

 _February 5, 2017, Two Months After Wolf Was Killed_

Lumi sat on the couch in the apartment her and Is shared, her thoughts floating between random things and wishing that she could go back in time to when she killed that Wolf in cold blood. Stop herself from doing it.

Her gaze slowly lowered from where she had been staring the last half an hour to the forty five that rested on the coffee table in front of her. The weapon she had used to take his life.

She had always had a love of guns. She liked the feeling of power they gave her when she could keep the muzzle on target as she fired off shot after shot after shot. Now...she could barely bring herself to stare it it for more than a few seconds before she was reminded of the Wolf's terrified face right before she had placed a bullet between his eyes.

The door opened, and her nose told her who it was before they even spoke.

"Hey, Lumi. You know, Judy and Nick are starting to get worried about you." Is said, walking over and sitting down next to her. He ignored the sidearm only feet away. They both knew he'd hidden the ammo for it, just in case. He didn't think Lumi would go that far, but he wasn't going to take a risk on that.

"I know, Is. I just...need some more time. I know it's been two months, but any time I try to leave..." Lumi trailed off, forcibly tearing her gaze from the gun and onto Is.

"I know, Lumi. I can't say I understand what you're going through, but I made a promise to you that I'd be here for you. And I'm going to keep that promise." He said, Lumi leaning against him in an act of self comfort.

"I'm glad. I'm sorry I can't get past it, Is. It's harder than I thought this would be." She said, her voice hitching slightly. Is knew what was coming next, and he knew he had to let her know what he wanted to tell her before it came.

"Lumi...Nick and Judy thought it would be best if...you..." He trailed off at the hurt in her eyes, like she suspected what he was going to say. "Take a vacation away from town. Go out to the country side. Something to take your mind off of this." He finished, and he felt the relief that Lumi felt at not being iced out of the Brotherhood emanating from her in waves.

"I understand, Is. But...there is being something you should know." She said, suddenly nervous.

"Is something wrong, Lumi?" Is asked, catching onto her worry immediately.

"I...I am being-" She was cut off by the sound of a phone ringing. They looked around, before Is patted his pockets. He fished his phone from a pocket, looking at the call identification.

"One moment." He said, letting out a sigh on annoyance. He placed the down on the coffee table, leaning it against the sidearm.

"Hey, Is! And Lumi! How are you guys?" The Coywolf on the other side asked, a happy smile on his face.

"I am being fine, Daedalus. Still coping, but I like to believe I am getting better." Lumi answered, smiling at the Coywolf.

"How goes your and Perseus' training?" Is asked, tilting his head.

"Oh, it's going by fine! Perseus finally gained full mobility back a few weeks ago and it's been nonstop training since so I didn't have a chance to call you and let you know." The Coywolf said, looking around quickly. "Judy and Nick are harsh teachers, though." He whispered, looking to his left quickly, as if startled.

"I heard that!" Judy shouted from somewhere out of the camera's sight, Daedalus turning to the camera on his phone quickly.

"I'll see you guys later. Maybe. If Judy doesn't kill me, that is." He said, disconnecting the call.

"Well...that was different." Is said, bewilderment on his face. He shook his head with a chuckle, turning back to Lumi. "Sorry. What were you saying?" He asked, Lumi opening her muzzle to speak. When nothing came out, she closed it and frowned. Now she couldn't get it out.

"It is...nothing important right now. How long did Judy suggest the vacation last?" She asked, Is narrowing his eyes for a few seconds. For a second she was worried he would ask again, but after a moment he shrugged to himself.

"As long as you need. She said I could go too, but we don't have anybody to help Fantasma if Beta Team is required." He said, Lumi nodding.

"I understand, Is. I wouldn't expect you to come anyway." She said, Is blinking in confusion.

"What? Lumi, of course I'm coming! I'm not going to let you push me away when you need me!" He practically shouted, confusion in his voice. There was also hurt, that she would expect him to put his duties as an Assassin before her own well being.

"I'm not _worth it_ , Is!" Lumi shouted, Is blinking in shock.

"Is...is that what you think?" He asked, both of them now standing a few feet apart. He took a step closer. "Of course you are worth it, Lumi. I can forget about that!" He exclaimed gesturing to a bracer of his that sat on the island a dozen or so feet away. He took another step closer. "I can't forget about _this_ , Lumi." He said, gesturing to himself and her.

"You...you would put me over everything else?" Lumi asked, her voice unsure.

"Yes, Lumi! That's what you do in a relationship. You stand by your partner, no matter what." He said, taking another step closer.

"You would put me above everything?" She asked, voice wavering as she tried to remain at least a little stoic.

"Above myself, Lumi." He said, placing both paws on her shoulders. He had to stand on his toes to reach, but the gesture was appreciated all he same.

"Then...then I would not mind you coming." Lumi said, kneeling down so Is could more comfortably comfort her.

"Good. Because I'd still come anyway." Is said, smiling at her.

"I know." Lumi said, leaning forward. Their lips connected, Is groaning at the contact. It'd been a while since they'd been this...close. Lumi had started freaking out whenever they tried, reminded of the Wolf, a few days after it had happened. He didn't mind, though. He wanted them to be more than that, though he would admit that he found it fun.

Lumi broke off, then lowered her muzzle and nipped his neck. A playful growl broke from her throat, Is shivering slightly at it.

"Lumi..." He trailed off, arms wrapping around her neck.

"Is...I need you to be there. I'm glad you are here for me already, but I can't be separated from you." She said, though she knew it made her sound desperate for attention or something.

"I'm here for you, Lumi. Always." He promised, nuzzling her shoulder affectionately.

"I know, Is. I am sorry this is affecting me more than it should. It is being hard to explain, though. I knew what this life would entail when I signed up for it, but cold blooded murder? It is...it is different." She said, nibbling on his neck, just above where it met the shoulder. Is groaned again, then shook his head.

"Maybe we should be packing instead." He said, leaning back enough to look Lumi in the eyes.

"We probably should. But...I have not ate in a while." She said, leaning forward and kissing him again. She locked her canines at the front of her mouth behind a few of his teeth, following him as he leaned back to the floor.

 _Two hours later_

Lumi sat up from where she lay on the floor, rubbing her forehead. She groaned, moving to shake her head. She ended that when a headache hit her from nowhere.

"Ah, Jesus Christ that hurts." She said, groaning in pain and standing.

"Lumi, you're up!" Is said loudly, Lumi holding up a paw.

"Why does my head hurt, Is?" She asked, clutching her head at his voice.

"Well...we were...you know. And...well, you hit your head on the coffee table when you came down for a kiss." He said, quieting down enough to be comfortable for her sensitive head.

"That...that is all?" She asked, blinking curiously.

"It was a hard hit." He explained, wincing at the memory.

"Ah." She said, nodding. She stopped when that made her head hurt.

"On a good note, though, I got our clothes packed. Not sure whether or not you wanted to take any of our gear, so I left that out." He said, gesturing to a corner of the room. "You may want to get changed." He said, Lumi nodding.

She walked to the bedroom, and came out a few minutes later with a baggy hoody and pants on, paws in the pocket on the front of the hoody.

"We'll take our outfits and Hidden Blades, at least. Maybe a paw-full of Throwing Knives. You can take your garrotes if you wish, but we aren't taking anything else." Lumi said, Is nodding. He walked over to where their gear lay in neat piles, tilting his head as he mentally figured out the different amount of space each thing would take up.

He had purposefully left enough space in the bags so they could pack everything if Lumi so chose, but now they'd have some extra room.

"Okay, so...if I place the outfits in the left side, I can wrap the bracers in them so they don't make any noise. The Throwing Knives go in their sheath, obviously. I'll keep my razor garrote on me in case I need it, and Lumi will have her guns. But I'll need to give her the ammo and..." He trailed off at a creaking sound. He turned, surprised to see Lumi standing there, leaning against the wall.

"And what, Is?" She asked, though he suspected she had an idea of what he meant.

"It was a suggestion on Judy and Nick's parts. They figured that it was better to be safe than sorry in the event that the emotional baggage became too much." He said, looking at the floor. "I didn't want to believe them, you know. I wanted to believe you were stronger than that. But I had to concede to the facts that they gave." He added, as if he thought that Lumi would accept that as his apology.

"So they wanted to make sure I wouldn't shoot myself." She said, and Is flinched at how emotionless she sounded when she said it.

"Yes." He said, sighing at the situation.

"I understand. I would suggest it too." She said, Is blinking at her. "At times, I would think about it. Not for myself, but in general. How mammals think they have the right to try and stop others from doing it because they are selfish. If the mammals wish to die, it is their own choice. And it should be respected. I am not condoning it, but I think that mammals have the right to decide when they die." She said, Is looking down.

He knew she had a point, but the fact that she viewed it like that made it seem like she had thought about it.

"I understand that, Lumi. I can't say I agree, but I will respect your view. You're allowed your opinion, and I have no right to try and change it." He said, frowning slightly.

Lumi stepped closer, placing a paw on his shoulder and smiling at him.

"Glad that is out of the way. But enough of these thoughts. Let's go." She said, Is blinking.

"Shouldn't we pack the things we are taking?" He asked, looking confused.

"Already did. You were not exactly whispering your ideas." She said, Is frowning again.

"Oh. Well...thanks, I guess." He said, Lumi arching an eyebrow. "Well, I mean thanks obviously, I just meant that I wasn't expecting you to pack the things..." He trailed off, realizing he could be making it worse. Lumi glared for a moment before she smiled, letting out a chuckle.

"I know what you mean, Is. I am just...how do you say...pulling your leg." She said, Is blinking.

"Well at least your sense of humor is coming back..." He grumbled, though he would admit he was glad that it was. Any progress was good progress, or so Nick said.

"You make me happy. Simple psychology." Lumi said, turning around and walking over to where the bags lay.

"I don't think that's how it works!" He shouted, a noise of playful protest reaching his ears. Lumi reappeared moments later carrying both of their bags, an exaggerated frown on her muzzle.

"Do you want this or not?" She asked, gesturing to herself

"I don't think it's a good idea to answer that." He said, walking past her to get the door.

"Good boy." Lumi said, flicking his tail with hers as he passed.

"Hey!" He said, twirling to look at her in mock annoyance.

"You didn't seem to mind me touching it a while ago." Lumi retorted, Is blushing at that.

"That...that's different!" He said, crossing his arms and looking annoyed.

"You're cute when you look annoyed. You know that, right?" She asked, Is clenching up briefly.

"Lumi...while I understand it's meant as a term of endearment, please don't call me cute." He said, Lumi tilting her head. "It's speciest when non Rabbits call them cute." He said, Lumi's eyes widening in horror.

"I didn't think you would mind! I mean, we're mates now and I just figured-" She was stopped from her explanation when Is held up a paw.

"I don't mind being called cute in private, where nobody can overhear us. I just don't want you saying it in public or anywhere somebody could overhear us. Please." He said, Lumi letting out a breath of relief. He was just letting her know.

"I thought you were chastising me, Is! Don't do that!" She said, placing a paw over her heart dramatically. "But alright. I won't call you cute where anybody could overhear us." She said, leaning down to where her muzzle was level with his. "Cutie."

"Hmmm, funny." Is said, grinning sarcastically.

"Good." Lumi said, briefly touching his nose with hers before standing up and walking out the door. Is stood there for a moment longer, blinking in confusion.

"Well...I guess that just happened." He said, frowning and walking out the door, making sure to lock it behind him.

Lumi waited by the elevator, both bags still over her shoulders. She ignored the looks of distrust and disgust her neighbors threw her way, smiling cheerfully for the first time in a long while.

Is walked over, and Lumi called the elevator. Is caught the gaze of a sneering mammal, and he glared back, lip twitching threateningly.

"Ignore them." Lumi said, startling Is into looking at her.

"What?" He asked, surprised by her sudden carelessness.

"Ignore them. Their opinions do not matter to me. If they can not understand or at least keep their opinions to themselves, then they do not deserve our attention. So ignore them." She said, Is glancing back at the mammals to see surprised looks, like they hadn't expected that kind of response.

"You're right. They aren't important." He said, turning back around as the elevator opened. They stepped inside, Lumi pressing the button for the ground floor. The doors closed, and Is caught an apologetic and supportive glance from a Caribou right before they closed completely.

When the doors opened on the bottom floor, they stepped out and walked around a small group of mammals. They stopped at the landlord's office, knocking on the door gently. They entered when beckoned, closing it behind them.

"Ah, you two!" The landlord, a rather friendly and openly for interspecies romance Badger, said.

"Hey, Jerry. We just wanted to let you know that we'll be out of town for a while." Is said, the Badger looking confused.

"Where are you going?" He asked, Lumi glancing at Is.

"Well...we just need some time away from the city is all." Is said, Jerry's eyes darkening at that.

"Are the other patrons harassing you? I can get them out on grounds of that, you know." Jerry said, Is blinking in surprise at that.

"No, they're fine. We just need a break, that's all. Lumi's already cleared it with her boss Jeremy down at her work, so we just thought we'd take a vacation." Is said, Jerry narrowing his eyes.

"I'm serious, you two. I won't be having patrons harassing you just because you're together." He said, Lumi sighing.

"Well, they have made some barbed looks, but nobody has made any comments." She said, Jerry seeming relieved at that.

"And if they keep it that way, there won't be any problems. You ever feel the need to punch one of them, let me know. I'll pretend it didn't happen." Jerry said, Lumi feeling a small grin break her muzzle.

"Don't tempt me, Jerry." She said playfully, the Badger chuckling.

"Oh, I know you guys can fight. I wouldn't dream of starting anything with you guys." He said, Is shrugging. "But, I _suppose_ I can hold onto your guys' apartment until you get back. I'll have to cut everything to it to avoid the extra cost, so I hope you guys don't have any perishables." He said, Is shaking his head.

"No sir. We prefer to eat out most of the time, anyway." Lumi said, glancing down at Is. He reached into a pocket and pulled their apartment keys out. He tossed them to Jerry and the Badger caught them, placing them in a drawer in his desk.

"See you two when you get back." He said, Is and Lumi nodding. They turned and walked out, stepping into the cold environment of Tundra Town. They paused, racked their brains more mental maps, and began the walk to the train station at least twenty minutes away.

"So...where do you want to go first?" Is asked, looking up at Lumi. She bit her lip in thought, frowning.

"I heard Bunny Burrow is a pretty good place this time of year, despite the temperature." She said, Is nodding.

"Hope we don't come across of the Hopps clan. Or...what was it, the Kettu family?" He said, looking up at Lumi.

"That is being correct, yes." She said, nodding along with some tune in her head.

"Okay. Where to after that?" He asked, Lumi smiling in amusement.

"I think it would be a good idea to stay in Bunny Burrow for a while. It's close enough to Zootopia in case of an emergency, but it's not too close. So it seems like a good idea to stay there." She said, Is looking at her in surprise.

"It'll be hard to avoid anyone during a long stay." Is warned, Lumi nodding in agreement.

"Judy told me about another Fox from Finland, named Riina. Said I would probably like her. So it is being something I would like to do." She said, Is frowning.

"And she's also mated to a brother of Judy's, who also just so happens to _know they're Assassins_." He said, stressing the last three words like it would help get his point across.

"I am knowing that. But it is being unlikely they know we are, as well." She said, Is huffing in annoyance.

"You really want to meet her, don't you?" He asked, though he knew the answer.

"It would be nice to know somebody from Finland. Sweden is a close enough second, but nothing beats knowing somebody from your home country." She said, smiling reassuringly at Is to show she meant nothing insulting by her comment.

"I know, I just worry is all. Don't take this the wrong way Lumi, but you are an emotional mammal. You rely on your emotions and your instincts an equal amount, and that is more than most mammals. You're affected easily by things, and being ostracized by somebody from your own species, let alone your own _country_ would...well, I don't know. Probably not something good." Is said, trying to explain his reasoning.

Lumi remained silent, mulling over his reasoning for a solid three minutes before she let out a huff.

"I understand that, Is. Really. I get I am not being the most sane of mind right now, due to what happened a few months ago. But this is something I have wanted to do since Judy and Nick told me about them before the murder in the hospital." She said, Is flinching at the word murder.

"Lumi...you didn't _murder_ the Wolf. He attacked you, and you prevented any more action against yourself." He said, though his words sounded hollow, like he didn't truly believe his own words.

"Maybe. But he was wounded. I could have shot him in the knee. But I put a bullet right between his eyes. He practically begged me not to, Is. And I pulled the trigger anyway." She said, her tone sad and defeated, like she was really coming to terms with it only now. And in a way, she was. She'd understood the gravity of what she'd done immediately, but the emotional trauma it had brought hadn't hit her until much later, when she ran out of ways to justify it to herself.

"Even if you did murder him, I don't blame you. You were under a lot of stress, you thought you'd never have the chance to confess to me how you felt, and you also knew that he'd likely do it again to others if he wasn't stopped somehow. Judy even told you it was enough to pardon you of responsibility should anybody try and press charges. Hell, she _showed_ you the law of that. You were, at least _somewhat_ , legally in the right when you pulled the trigger." He said, Lumi looking at the ground.

"Maybe. It doesn't make it any easier though." She said, Is sighing sadly.

"I just don't want you losing yourself over this, Lumi. That's all it is." He said, Lumi feeling a small smile at his worry touch her muzzle.

"Your concern is noted and appreciated, Is. But I'm not going to let this control me. I just need to get away from all of this for a little while." She said, and her arm found itself around his neck, hanging down on Is' over side. "Besides, I wouldn't have anyone else with me on this trip." She added, Is sighing at the warmth and leaning into her.

"I know, Lumi. But I've always worried about you, ever since you met Majken. This is a little different than a misunderstanding about my cousin, but I worry about you all the same. I naturally worry about those I love, Lumi. It's just who I am." He said, Lumi placing a small kiss on top of his head with a chuckle.

"And I wouldn't want you any different." She said, ignoring the looks some of the mammals were giving them.

"Nor I you." Is said, smiling in temporary contentment.

They arrived at the train station a few minutes later and, thankfully, without incident from others. They walked up to the ticket booth, aware they still had thirty minutes until their train was due to leave.

"Where to?" The mammal behind the counter asked, looking down at something they couldn't see.

"Two for Bunny Burrow." Is said, Lumi leaning against the counter and one leg crossed over the one she stood on, the bottom of her foot pressed against the wall of the small shack the mammal who gave out tickets stood in so Is could stand on it and see over the counter.

The mammal looked up at that, surprised to see a Fox and Bunny standing there.

"Two for Bunny Burrow it is." The mammal said, a small smile touching their lips. They pulled two tickets from a roll, handing them to Is.

"Thank you." The Hare said, hopping down from Lumi's leg and walking towards where their train sat. As Lumi made to follow, a knock caught her attention. She turned back to the mammal behind the counter, tilting her head in curiosity.

"Another one, huh?" They asked, though their tone seemed friendly.

"I am being sorry, I don't know what you mean." Lumi said, unsure if the mammal was referring to the fact her and Is were getting tickets together or what.

"Another Fox and Rabbit couple! I swear, Officers Wilde and Hopps are just so perfect for each other!" The mammal said, and Lumi was reminded of what she gathered Danny's brother must be like from what information she had been able to gather on him.

"Yeah, I suppose they are." She said, smiling at the mammal and following Is. She heard the mammal give a sigh of amazement, and she turned her focus back to watching where she was going.

"Lumi! Over here!" Is shouted, Lumi pausing to look around. She spotted him almost immediately, mainly due to the fact he was halfway up a post, waving at her.

With a chuckle and an amused shake of her head, she walked over. He dropped down when she was at the base, and he smiled at her.

"So where's the train?" She asked, Is looking around quickly. He looked at the tickets in his paws for a moment before he turned around.

"This way." He said, walking in the appointed direction. Lumi followed, content to watch him build a mental map as he walked to where the train was. He had a look of concentration on his face, his gaze flicking from one detail to the next with rapid precision.

A full minute went by before they could see the train, mostly due to a rather large amount of larger mammals When they did see it, a look of relief visibly dawned on Is' face, and he dashed off.

"Crazy Hare." Lumi muttered, chuckling in amusement. She followed, a light jog being her pace so as to avoid having the two sidearms at each hip falling out. They may not be loaded, but it wouldn't do to have a mammal accidentally step on them and crush them.

They boarded the train, surprised to see it mostly held a few sheep. A Black-Footed Ferret sat a short distance away from the main group, and he eyed them as they entered. His eyes seemed to light up with recognition before dimming, like he had mistaken them for somebody else.

Is and Lumi glanced at each other, then nodded. They walked up to the Ferret and sat down on either side of him.

It was silent for a few minutes, save for the occasional dialogue from the announcer about outgoing and incoming trains.

"So...Judy send you?" The Ferret suddenly asked, Is and Lumi looking at him in surprised looks.

"I am...sorry?" Lumi said, unsure what he meant. That seemed to relax the Ferret, because he visibly deflated from his tense posture.

"Just old grievances." The Ferret said, his tone startlingly sad.

"Judy Hopps? Enemies?" Lumi asked incredulously, before she seemed to pause. "Well, you know, aside from Bellwether." She added, a chuckle coming from Is at her correction.

"It's true. I used to...well, I used to bully her when we were in school. Thought it was too good to be true that a Bunny could be a cop." He said, Lumi and Is blinking in shock.

"Well, it doesn't seem to have bothered her so much." Is said, the Ferret letting out a chuckle at that.

"Oh, it did. It made her even more determined." The Ferret said, smiling slightly. "And I'm glad, to be honest. Not often I like to be proven wrong, but Judy...I'm glad she did. Maybe there's some hope after all." He said, Lumi feeling a small smile at a familiar view on the world.

"The world...is very cruel." She said, Is and the Ferret looking at her. "But very beautiful. There are things that make the pain seem to disappear. Others amplify it. Some negate any reactions. But as long as you hold onto those you love, you stand a chance at surviving the black." She said, leaning back against the seat she sat in.

"Maybe you're right." The Ferret said, letting out a sigh and standing. He turned, facing the Hare and Arctic Fox. "Name's Travis." He said, extending a paw.

"Lumi." The Arctic Fox said, shaking his paw.

"Is." The Hare said, shaking his paw as well.

"Nice to meet you two. Have fun in Bunny Burrow." Travis said, dipping his head in farewell before he turned and walked off the train.

"Well...that was an experience." Is said, Lumi smiling.

"He seemed like a good mammal at heart. Just with too many...what is the saying again? 'Skeletons in his closet'?" Lumi asked, Is chuckling.

"I figured you'd know that one by now." He said, Lumi pretending to look annoyed.

Lumi let out a sigh and reached into her pocket. She pulled out some earbuds and her phone. She plugged them in, then put them into her ears. She turned on her music, and Is closed is eyes for the trip.

He felt his ears droop as he heard Lumi singing along quietly to the song.

"But I'm just a mammal. And I bleed when I fall down. I'm just a mammal. And I crash and I break down. You build me up and then I fall apart." She sang quietly, Is letting out a sad sigh. He glanced over at Lumi, then closed his eyes again. He knew she loved Catstina Perri, but he figured she could have chosen a song less suited for her right around now.

"See you in a bit." Is said, though he knew Lumi wouldn't hear him. "Love you."

 **Alright! That's the end of Chapter 11, the beginning of the Turmoil Arc! I hope you guys enjoyed, because I had a lot of fun writing this. And yes, I did just have Lumi sing part of her own theme. Why? I figured in would show just how much she's hurting. Now it just seems like a cheap shoutout to Christina Perri. And my god, I feel like I've gotten pretty good at writing Fluff after just a few chapters. I'm serious, I really do! I'm still not that good, but I'm definitely better than some of the authors I've read. Not gonna name any names, mostly because I don't remember, but I've seen some horrible Fluff stories. The stories themselves are good, but the Fluff seems forced. Tell me how I've been doing in your Reviews and Comments, because I can't improve without some feedback! Seriously, we authors** ** _thrive_** **on feedback. It gives us the will to write. To be better than we were when we last updated. I still feel like either the Jurassic World: A Pack Divided or Project Freelancer: Rebirth Prologues are my best works yet, but I hope to make all my works that good one day. I do intend to rewrite Chapter 2 of my JW story, so don't you guys worry. That was just me running out of creative juices so I had to improvise. I've never regretted improvising something so much. But yeah, I just wanted to let you guys know I'm gonna start a story set in the SAW franchise soon. It wasn't planned, so that's why I never brought it up. It's based on an answer to a question I asked on Quora. So yeah. The Modus Operandi is a bit different, but the new Jigsaw Killer isn't gonna play a part in the story in any way until the ending and a few short segments at the beginning of random Chapters. Anyway, that's enough of that, I'll see you guys...next update. Word Count: 5,681**


	13. Back to the Burrows

**Hey guys Price here and welcome to Chapter 12 of Zootopian Assassins! We are going** ** _back_** **to Bunny Burrow! I promise you it'll have as much action as the First Blood Arc, so you don't have to worry about this getting** ** _too_** **dull. While I** ** _could_** **make this an alternate story instead of a full Arc, I'm not going too because I want you guys to read this part of Lumi and Is' journey as characters. I'm not saying you wouldn't read the other story, but I'd rather be safe than sorry. So yeah, hope you guys actually care enough to read this Arc. Who knows, I may just add little hints to what may happen later on for those who actually read. And the main, most character driving action Chapter will involve two things: a compound and lots and lots of gunshots. Anyway, that's enough of that, I think it's time to get...onto the story!**

Lumi stepped off the train at the Bunny Burrow station, a small smile touching her lips at the smell on air that wasn't tainted by city fumes. It'd been almost eighteen years since she'd left her home town to come here, to Animalia, after the incident the day after her sixteenth birthday.

Is stepped off behind her, and she heard him take a deep, satisfied breath.

"That is some country air." He said, Lumi chuckling.

"That it is, Is. That it is." She said, the Hare moving to stand beside her.

"I've missed it. It's..." Is trailed off, unable to really describe it.

"It is being a rude awakening to just how dirty the air in Zootopia is." Lumi said, Is looking up at her and arching an eyebrow.

"Well, I was going for more of an appreciative view, but I guess you're not wrong." He said, Lumi smiling apologetically.

"Sorry. It is nice, though." She said, letting out a quiet sigh and beginning the long walk to the one local inn. They had enough on them to stay for at least a week, but the rest of the time they would probably have to rough it. And that was just fine with Lumi.

They walked for a long while, seeing no other vehicles in sight for the entire walk, up until roughly an hour or so from their destination.

A white can pulled to a stop next to them, making both of them jump. They'd both been thinking about random things and hadn't heard it approach.

A somewhat pudgy Red Fox stepped out from the van, looking at them with a friendly smile.

"You two need a ride?" He asked, Is glancing at Lumi. Normally, she tended to be a great judge of character, and had saved him from a few bad encounters when she'd felt something was off.

"Well...we would not want to burden you." Lumi said nervously, Is blinking. Normally she wasn't all that nervous when first meeting somebody. It was only when their actions seemed to be vastly different than what they gave off that she got nervous, and that made Is nervous.

"It's fine! I'm just dropping off a last batch of pies and then it'll be off to my home." He reassured, and Lumi glanced at Is, biting her lip.

"Well...if you are being sure..." She said, and she couldn't help but stare into his eyes, seeing the deeply hidden regret he held for something he'd done in the past.

"Of course! It's no problem, honest! Where you two heading?" He asked, placing his paws on his hips.

"The Jumps Inn, about a mile down the road." Is said, placing a comforting paw on Lumi's arm.

"Great! It's on the way, so it'll be no problem at all to stop for five minutes to do a good thing." The Fox said, smiling kindly.

"Thank you, mister..." Lumi trailed off, the Fox letting out a chuckle at his lack of introduction.

"Gideon Grey, at your service." He said, Lumi smiling gratefully.

"Thank you, mister Grey." She said, the Fox walking around the front of the van, opening the passenger side door.

"Ah, no mister, please! That's for mammals who like to stay professional. I prefer to be friends with my customers and, to be honest, it ain't that hard." He said, Lumi and Is exchanging looks of amusement.

"Should we just call you Gideon, then?" Is asked, him and Lumi stepping up to the door.

"Please do. Makes me feel welcome." Gideon said, Lumi blinking in surprise at that.

"Well, thanks again for the ride, Gideon. We appreciate it." Is said when the Fox stepped away from the van, the Hare and Arctic Fox climbing up into the seat. Lumi sat down, Is in her lap.

Gideon climbed into the driver's side, gaze flicking to Lumi's waist briefly, a quick flash of surprise crossing his features. She looked down, surprised to see her sidearm visible. She tucked her shirt over it, letting out a nervous chuckle.

"Sorry. I prefer to keep it on me just in case." She said, Gideon smiling nervously.

"It's no big deal, just never expected to see a gun so close." He said, his ears lowering slightly. "Is there a reason you carry?" He asked, Lumi feeling a smile form on her lips at the question, reminding her of a film she had seen a few years prior.

"Same principle as a condom." She said, earning arched eyebrows from the two other mammals in the van.

"Which is...?" Gideon asked, Lumi chuckling at the other Fox's lack of knowledge.

"I would rather have one, and not need it, than need it, and not have one." She said, Is chuckling at the answer.

"Well, it makes sense I suppose." Gideon said, letting out a huff of amusement.

"I've yet to meet someone who could argue with it." Lumi said, starting when the van lurched into movement.

After a few moments of silence, Gideon glanced at the two mammals with a nervous expression.

"I...I don't mean to pry, but...are you two a thing?" He asked, Is chuckling at the Fox's nervous question.

"Yeah. For a few months, now. We've known each other for a lot longer, though." He said, Lumi feeling heat rush to her cheeks at how easily Is answered the question.

"How long?" Gideon asked, his eyes quickly looking at them before moving back to the road, despite the fact there was nothing to look out for. He grabbed a bottle of water from where it sat in a cup holder, carefully twisting off the lid.

"Oh, about sixteen years from before we became a couple." Is said, Gideon letting out a shocked noise and choking at the answer. He coughed for a small bit of time, all the while Is and Lumi stared in worry.

"And you two are...are only just now becoming a couple?" He asked when he finally got enough air in his lungs to speak, a look of surprise on his face.

"Well, it is being only just now, recently, allowed to be shown in public. Plus we were both afraid, to be honest. Afraid of what society would _do_ more than what it would say, mostly. I was afraid we would give up because we finally let the mammals who disagreed get to us." Lumi said, a somber expression on her face.

"But, we agreed that society could go die in a hole, for all we cared." Is added, trying to lighten the mood.

"That reminds me of Nick and Judy, two mammals just like you. Except different species. And the genders are flipped. And some other differences." Gideon said, Lumi and Is both blinking in surprise.

"You knew Judy?" They both asked at the same time, looking at each other in surprise.

"Well, yeah. I mean, I was horrible to her as a kit, but we're friends now." He said, rubbing the back of his head awkwardly. A moment of awkward silence settled upon the three mammals, and the Jumps Inn came into view only moments later.

"Well, I guess I'll see you two again!" Gideon said when they pulled up, Is smiling gratefully at him and hopping out when Lumi opened the door.

"One thing before we go, but you wouldn't happen to know the Kettu family, would you?" Lumi asked, Gideon nodding.

"Yep! They own the apple orchard just down the road a little ways." He said, pointing somewhere down the barren road. Lumi followed where he pointed, though she couldn't really see anything other than the open fields that made up a majority of Bunny Burrow. She frowned, having grown used to the large buildings of Zootopia.

"Well, thanks again for the lift. We appreciate it." Is said, Gideon dipping his head in kindness before he began to back the van away. He stopped suddenly, paws leaving the steering wheel and patting his overalls. He found what he was apparently looking for and stepped from the van, jogging over to them.

"You two ever need anything, be it a delivery while you're here or just a lift, call me." He said, holding a card towards them. Lumi took it with a grateful blink, smiling. Gideon dipped his head again in farewell and jogged back to his van, starting it and backing away. Lumi and Is turned to walk towards the hotel.

"A short distance indeed." She said, Is chuckling.

"Well, it probably is. Just looks longer because there is nothing to use as a landmark for distance." He said, Lumi smiling. She was pretty sure Is would be a good strategist, if his habit of making plans for just about everything was any indication, along with his obvious intelligence.

"Probably." She agreed, the pair walking into the building. Lumi had to duck to enter, and it was a little uncomfortable, but it was obviously built with Rabbits in mind, so she would just have to accept it.

"Hey! Welcome to the Jumps Inn, how can I help you?" A Bunny behind the counter asked, though it was obvious they were asking Is more than both of them.

"Yes, we have a room scheduled for the next week or so." Lumi said, and Is' eyes widened at the obvious look of disdain the Rabbit threw at her.

"Sorry, there's only one room available." The Rabbit said, a sneer on her muzzle. Is cleared his throat and took Lumi's paw in his, making sure to make it clearly visible.

"A single room is fine." He said, and he felt a small grin of satisfaction slip onto his muzzle at the look of shock on the Rabbit's face at his display of affection. Lumi just blushed, staring down at the floor.

"Okay well...enjoy your stay." The Rabbit said, her tone making it obvious she was forcing herself to be polite. She held out a room key, which Lumi took.

"We will be sure to give this place a good review for the absolutely _incredible_ hostility-er, I mean hospitality of the Jumps Inn." Is said, smiling sarcastically at the Rabbit. They turned, though Lumi did so awkwardly from the low height of the roof compared to her own. Her tail flicked the Rabbit receptionist across the muzzle, and she heard the Bunny making noises of disgust behind her.

"I have never wanted to do...something to a mammal so bad." Lumi said, Is looking at her in surprise.

"I think somebody needs a relaxation massage." Is said, and Lumi visibly beamed at that.

"I am thinking the same." She said, a small, quiet growl of possession lacing her words.

"Sometimes I wonder how I got so lucky as to get you in my life." Is said with a chuckle, and Lumi waited for him to get to the top of the stairs before following.

"I got too used to the heat of the main city." She said, Is arching an eyebrow.

"That's it?" He asked, Lumi chuckling at his surprised expression.

"I missed the cold. I just happened to come by at the right time." She said, though she looped an arm around Is. "And I wouldn't want it any other way."

"Neither would I, Lumi." Is said, smiling. They stopped at the door to their room, and Is extended his paw. She handed him the room key, and he unlocked the door. Lumi entered, a small grin touching her muzzle as she set her bag down.

Is closed the door behind him, and he'd barely set his bag down before Lumi was pressing herself against him, trailing kisses down his neck.

 _Three hours later_

Lumi panted, out of breath, as Is flopped down next to her.

"What have you been reading?" Lumi asked, and Is chuckled.

"Well, you would be surprised at the number of books that exist on this kind of thing." He said, Lumi frowning.

"You mean interspecies stuff?" She asked, looking at him.

"Something like that." He said, grinning.

"...You bring any of them with you?" She asked nervously, Is chuckling.

"Don't need to. I've memorized them." He said, Lumi blushing.

"That's a lot of reading." She said, though she was surprised that Is would do something like that.

"I didn't hear you complaining." He said, and Lumi promptly rolled over and buried her face in her pillow to hide her blush.

"I hate you sometimes." She grumbled out, and Is laughed. They both looked up and towards the door at the sound of knocking. They glanced at each other, and Lumi trailed her paw over the side of the bed, to where her holsters lay. She gripped one of the sidearms, then let it hang over the bed.

Is sighed and walked over to the door, reached for the handle. Something hit him in the back, and he turned to see his pants on the floor.

"Oh. Right." He said, realizing he had nearly opened the door wearing nothing.

After getting decent, he took a breath and opened the door. A Rabbit stood there, a nervous look on their face. "Yes?"

"Uh...we just wanted to let you know that the other mammals would like to request you keep it down with whoever you're with." The Rabbit said, and Is blinked. He hadn't realized they'd made that much noise. Then he realized they were all likely Rabbits, and they had amazing hearing.

"Hey, Lumi!" He said, looking over his shoulder. Lumi stuck her head into view, her head tilted towards the floor from the sideways angle that hinted she was still laying down.

"Does that mean no more exercise?" She asked, and Is heard a quiet, choked off noise of surprise. He turned to see the rabbit staring at Lumi in shock.

"Well, we'll just have to find somewhere else probably." Is said, and he had to suppress a chuckle as the color seemed to drain from the Rabbit's face.

"Uh...well, thank you for booking with Jumps Inn, we hope you enjoy your stay." The Rabbit said, though Is couldn't tell if he was being polite out of respect or just pretending Lumi didn't exist.

"Yeah, sure. Oh, and just so we're clear...you may want to get a new receptionist. Preferably somebody who _isn't_ a bigoted idiot." Is said, closing the door on the Rabbit before he could say anything.

"So does this mean we get to play in the woods?" Lumi asked, and Is had to pause to think about that. It had it's allure, for sure.

"Can we do...you know...that Hunting...stuff?" He asked awkwardly, and Lumi stared.

"I wouldn't have taken you for a mammal into that." She said, and Is blushed. "But sure. I kind of wanted to try it eventually, too." She said, adding the last part under her breath. Is still caught it, though.

"Well, it's a date then." He said, smiling. It was a nervous prospect, but it was a symbol of trust, according to Nick, so he wanted to try it.

"We should probably do that some time." Lumi said, shrugging as she walked towards the bathroom.

"What? Go on a date?" He asked, arching an eyebrow in question.

"What else?" Lumi asked as she entered the bathroom, and the sound of a shower activating reached Is' ears.

He supposed she had a point, but he wasn't all that sure where they could really go. He wanted to go somewhere they _wouldn't_ experience any prejudice, and Is didn't think that would be possible.

Lumi leaned against the bathroom door, a worried expression on her muzzle. Her paw held her phone, and her thumb hovered over the call button on a contact. She was uncertain if the mammal would take it well, so she was worried about telling him. Is didn't know, and she felt bad about that, but she worried how he'd take it.

She sighed and pressed the call button, putting the small device against her ear.

"Hei?" A familiar voice asked, and Lumi took a shaky breath.

"Isä...on jotain sinun täytyy tietää..." She said, moving away from the door.

"Mikä hätänä?" The mammal asked, worry in his voice.

"Uskon raskaana..." She said, and she heard the mammal take a deep breath in surprise.

"Ihan oikeesti? Minä...Olen niin ylpeä!" The mammal said, joy obvious. He began rattling off suggestions left and right, and Lumi took a deep, rattling breath as the hard part came.

"Isä on jänis, isä..." She said, and the mammal immediately stopped talking, silence heavy as, she hoped, he was just surprised.

"Ymmärrän..." The mammal said, and Lumi flinched. She dreaded what he'd say next, more because she didn't want to have a bad relationship with her last living relative, unless Is counted.

"Father..." She began, only to be cut off when the mammal coughed once, a clear order to stop talking and to listen.

"Lumi...I am not being angry. I am being glad you finally have someone you trust enough for this, really. I am just being worried you do not understand what you are getting into, here." He said, and Lumi felt a growl building.

"I am thirty six, father. I know plenty." She said, and her father sighed.

"I know, Lumi. But...well, you said he is a Hare, correct? I just worry that he may demand things you are uncomfortable with." Her father said, and Lumi felt a small smile, despite the fact she was angry at the same time.

"Is is better than that, father. He is able to read me better than a lot of my psychologists were eighteen years ago, and I trust him with my life." She said, and she meant it literally since he had the ammo for her guns, though her father wouldn't know that.

"I understand that, Lumi. I felt the same way about your mother. But...as your father, it is being my duty to worry about you. Plus, I am being male. I do not understand how your female mind is working." He said, adding the last part jokingly.

"Maybe not, but you do know _me_. If I think it is being toxic, I will end it. My health is more important than my happiness." She said, and she heard her father sigh.

"Sometimes I wish I had not made you grow up so fast." He said, and she felt a small twinge of regret.

"You thought you were doing what was best. I do not fault you for it." She said, and she knew her father was grateful to hear it by the faint sigh of relief he gave.

"Well, I hope you are being happy, and I hope to talk to you again soon." He said, and Lumi smiled.

"Of course. I always do." She said, and she had to try not to let her breath hitch as she said her goodbye.

She placed her phone on the sink counter, then leaned forward and stared at the floor. After a few minutes she stood and turned off the shower, then opened the door slightly.

"Here ya go." Is said, sticking his arm through the door. She took the clothes he held, a small smile touching her lips at his thoughtfulness.

"Thank you, Is." She said, closing the door. She got changed, then exited the bathroom. Is walked in after she exited, and her tail playfully brushed his, though he ignored it.

Lumi sat down on the bed, took a sniff, and immediately curled her lip. She was not sleeping in those blankets.

A knock at the door made her look up in surprise, and she banged her head on the ceiling. She let out a small whimper and clutched her head, making her way to the door.

She opened the door to see a Bunny with a cart standing there.

"Yes?" Lumi asked, the Rabbit looking up from a clipboard in her paws. Her face took on a look of horror, and Lumi glanced behind her to see if there was some killer in the apartment. "Did you see somebody scary behind me?" She asked, turning back to the Bunny.

"H-housekeeping." The Bunny said nervously, and Lumi arched an eyebrow.

"So that is being a no. But, since you are here, do you think you could get us a new set of bed sheets? Ours are kinda...smelly." She said, chuckling nervously. The Bunny reached for her cart without taking her eyes off Lumi, grabbing a spare set and handing them to Lumi. "Thank you." She said, holding up a paw to signal she would be right back. She closed the door, laying the new set down and grabbing the dirty sheets and folding them.

She opened the door, politely handing the set to the Rabbit. The Bunny sniffed, and then looked down at the sheets.

"Hey Lumi, you forgot your phone." Is said, stepping from the bathroom behind her. Lumi turned, taking her phone.

"Thanks." She said, smiling gratefully. Is nodded, then saluted to the Bunny outside the door with a single digit and stepped inside the bathroom.

"I thought I smelled a Rabbit." The Bunny said, and Lumi turned back to her.

"Hare, actually. And thanks." She said, closing the door with a polite smile. She turned around with a sigh, looking at her phone. No notifications, which was good.

She walked over to the bed on all fours, the position more comfortable than being hunched over.

The door to the bathroom opened a few minutes later, Is adjusting the shirt he had on. Lumi had just finished dressing the bed when he walked out, and she stared at the fur-tight shirt.

"Is there something on my shirt?" Is asked playfully, and Lumi blinked. She grinned, a small chuckle escaping her.

"More like under it." She answered huskily, and she felt satisfaction at Is' blush.

"Well, at least I know the training is visibly paying off." He said, lip twitching in the beginning of a smile.

"You could say that." Lumi said, crossing her arms with an appreciative and hungry stare.

"So...what were you talking to your dad about?" He asked, and Lumi stiffened visibly, the humor draining from her eyes.

"I...I just like to call him every so often. See how he's doing." She answered, smiling. It felt forced, and she didn't like to lie to Is, but she was waiting for the right time.

"Oh, okay. Makes sense." He said, shrugging.

"He uh...he lost his arm, you know. The one that got shot the day of the break in." She said sadly, looking down.

"Oh my god..." Is said, staring in shock at the news.

"Doctors say he was lucky firing the gun to save me didn't make anything worse than it already was. I am just being grateful he is still alive." She said, sitting down on the edge of the bed.

"Lumi...your dad sounds like he's a good mammal." Is said, his tone starting off sad and ending warmly, like he wanted to say something different but couldn't come up with anything.

"He is. Taught me a lot of the things I know, really. How to shoot a gun, how to defend myself. Those things." She said, a sad smile touching her lips.

"He sounds like somebody I would like." Is said, sitting beside her. She leaned against him just enough for comfort, but not too much that it strained him.

"You probably would, Is." She said, letting out a sad sigh. "But enough of the depressing stuff, let us get everything ready. If we have time, we can visit the main town." She said, standing up with a smile that didn't really feel real.

"I...suppose we could do that." Is said, standing up and pausing. He placed a hand on Lumi's arm, and she looked down at him. "I just wanted to let you know, Lumi...I sometimes wish we hadn't taken the invitation to join the Brotherhood." He said, and Lumi smiled in understanding.

"But then we would still be sitting at home, too nervous and afraid of what society would think to act on our feelings. So in a way it is being a good thing we did." She said, slapping him on the back playfully.

"I suppose so. But then...well, you know." He said, nervously shuffling his feet. Lumi's lips forming a grim line.

"Right. If I had not run out of that room, we would have never realized how we felt for each other." She said, intentionally avoiding what Is had really meant.

"Maybe not, but I _am_ sorry about what I said. I figured it unlikely that you would share my affection, so I was not worrying about how you would react." He said, swinging a foot. He stopped with a small growl when his toe hit the ground, shaking his foot slightly.

"Well, I forgive you. It _did_ drive us together, though, so I would not be worrying about it too much." She said, smiling and kissing him on the forehead lightly. "Now, let us get this space ready to be lived in. I want everything ready when we get back." She said, slapping her paws together, making Is wince slightly at the proximity to himself, and began the not so long task of laying what clothes they had in the drawers. They kept their gear in their bags, which they hid under the bed.

When they were confident everything was done, they stood in the center of the room. Lumi suddenly let out a growl, startling Is.

"Is something wrong, Lumi?" He asked, tilting his head.

"This room is uneven." She said, narrowing her eyes.

"The bed is thirty seven inches from the wall on one side, thirty nine on the other. The head rest is one and three fourths of an inch from the wall, and everything else is just _off_." She said, Is staring in surprise.

"You can tell all that from just a quick glance?" He asked, looking incredulous.

"My father was a carpenter." She said, looking at him.

"Oh yeah." He said, looking down. He looked back up to see Lumi staring at him, her head tilted slightly.

"You are exactly thirty seven point fifty three and a half inches tall, seven point eight inches at the shoulders, your feet are ten point eleven inches long, and your ears are exactly twelve inches long. Over all you are a mostly uneven Hare." She said, a tone like that of a professional critic surprising him. She smiled warmly at his look of surprise, leaning down. "But you are being _my_ uneven Hare." She said, kissing the space between his ears lightly.

"Well, at least now you have a definite specialty to give the Brotherhood, aside from your experience with firearms." He said, smiling at the revelation. At Lumi's questioning eyebrow arch, his eyes widened. "I mean that you'd be good at planning out raids and stuff!" He explained, and Lumi smiled at the explanation.

"I know what you meant, I just felt like hearing it from you." She said, grinning at a blush that appeared on Is' face with all the subtlety of a tank in a china shop.

"Of course." He grumbled, crossing his arms and looking away with a frown.

"Now we can go to the main town, right?" She asked, and Is remained silent for a moment in thought.

"Well, we _could_. However...I have a better idea." He said, letting his voice take on a sultry tone. Lumi grinned, a flash of hunger and love crossing her eyes.

"I am liking that idea." She said, Is smiling.

"Well, come on, then!" He said, running towards the door. Lumi followed, her tail wagging happily.

"It would seem we will be trying the Hunting sooner rather than later." She said when they exited the hotel, a happy grin on her muzzle. Is turned, a flash of fear on his muzzle. She stopped in surprise, not expecting.

"Oh, please don't hurt me, Miss Fox!" He said in an exaggeratedly fearful tone, and Lumi felt relief. He was just getting into character, apparently.

"Run, little Rabbit. It has been a while since I have satiated my thirst. Run, or I will have to drink my fill from you." She said with a playful growl, Is smiling briefly before getting back into character. He turned and dashed off, and Lumi, being the fair sport she considered herself to be, gave him a few seconds before she began to prowl after him.

Today was shaping up to be the best day for her since hey had become mates.

 **And that does it for Chapter 12 of Zootopian Assassins! I hope you guys enjoy the Lumis stuff, because I feel proud of the Fluff I've written between the two! Not so much the WildeHopps Fluff, but definitely the Lumis Fluff! Ah, they are probably my OC OTP, but I'm biased. But yeah, expect some action soon. Like next Chapter. And if I ever get anything wrong with customs of different countries when characters bring them up, do not be afraid to tell me! I don't want to insult anybody on accident! But nothing good lasts forever, unfortunately, as Is and Lumi will find out next Chapter. No, I'm not gonna have them be forced to leave each other, obviously, but I am going to make Lumi realize some things. And to any people who speak Finnish, let me know if any of it is wrong. I** ** _will_** **fix it, I promise. But if not, enjoy the secret. But don't ruin it for people who don't, pretty please. Anyway, that's all I have to say, so I'll see you guys...next update. Word Count: 5,237**


	14. A Secret Revealed

**Hey guys Price here and welcome to Chapter 13 of Zootopian Assassins! I hope this large update pleases you guys, and I hope you enjoy it. Because I enjoy writing Lumi and Is a lot, even more so than Judy and Nick at this point, because I can make things about them as I go along, while Judy and Nick have set character guides I need to follow. While I could change them for the sake of the story, that wouldn't feel right to me. So, enjoy Lumi and Is for a few more chapters, because they aren't going anywhere anytime soon. So yeah, sorry people who may not like them. Oh, and Gideon does still have the same accent as from the movies. I just don't feel like murdering my spellcheck more than it already is. Anyway, that's enough for now, I think it's time to get...onto the story!**

Lumi prowled through the woods, her posture that of a hunting mammal. All four paws were touching the ground, and her muzzle hovered over it, searching for a scent.

When she caught it, her gold eyes flicked around, searching the surrounding brush for signs of her prey.

There, a flash of grey against the green foliage a few feet away. She prowled forward, a faint growl escaping her throat as she prepared to pounce.

The sound of a gun's hammer being cocked stopped her in her tracks, and she glanced around in fear. The ends of a double barreled shotgun exited the bush, and she stepped away.

"Now, hold on a minute. Let us not do anything hasty." Lumi said, instinctively curling herself closer inward in an effort to protect her body.

"You were the one growling at me!" The unknown Bunny exclaimed, and Lumi heard the sound of a trigger being squeezed gently in an attempt not to alert her. She dodged to the side and thus only caught what felt like rock salt to her shoulder, but it still hurt.

She yowled in pain, grasping her shoulder and panting. The sound of a mammal dashing through the foliage alerted her to Is' approach.

"Over here!" She shouted, panic lacing her voice. She'd stood up in her pain and the shotgun was leveled at her stomach. If the Bunny fired...they could die.

Is came from the foliage behind her and the Bunny lowered the shotgun in surprise.

"Hey you! Hold this Fox still while I-" Whatever the Bunny was going to say was cut off as Is grabbed the barrels and pulled, pulling the Bunny into the clearing. He threw a fist, catching the Bunny in the nose. A snap reached Lumi's ears, and she winced. "Ow! What the hell!?" The bunny shouted, and Is brought a knee into his stomach.

"You _ever_ point a gun at my mate again, and you will not be leaving in one piece." Is growled out, and the Bunny stared in shock. "Is that clear?" Is asked, squatting down menacingly.

"Y-yes sir." The Bunny stammered, and Is grinned.

"Good." He said, standing up. He grabbed the shotgun and, in a moment of cruelty that shocked Lumi, brought the stock down on the Bunny's head. It wasn't enough to outright _kill_ the Bunny, but the mammal would wish it had been when he woke up.

"We should get to the hospital. Rock salt isn't exactly healthy." Lumi said, and Is sighed.

"You go. I need to call the police." He said, fishing for his phone.

"He will be getting out in just a day. Maybe a week, if we are being lucky." She said, and Is paused.

"Maybe. But I'm not going to kill him." He said, dialing the police and putting the device to his ear. "Yet." Lumi felt a small smile at that, more for how protective he was of her than the fact he would willingly kill the Rabbit.

"See you in a bit." She said, turning and limping off. She wasn't really comfortable leaving the Rabbit with Is, but it was that or risk infection. They _really_ couldn't afford that.

It was only when she exited the woods that she realized she had no idea where the hospital was. So, she did the next best thing. She called Gideon.

"Hello?" The thickly accented Fox asked, Lumi taking a breath.

"Gideon, this is Lumi. There's been an...incident." She said, and she heard something falling to the ground on the other end. She pulled the device from her ear, staring at it in confusion. She placed it back when she heard something, already making her way towards the Jumps Inn.

"What happened?" Gideon asked, and she wanted to ask what the crashing was, but she didn't want to meddle in any private affairs of his.

"Me and Is were...well, let us just say we were playing in the woods. I thought I had found him and...well, it was a Rabbit with a shotgun, filled with rock salt." She said, flinching at the sudden burst of angry noises from Gideon's end.

"Yeah, I know him. Where'd he get ya?" The Fox asked, and Lumi chuckled.

"Just the shoulder. Still stung, though. I just worry about infection. It would not be very advisable to get one given my current condition." She said, hoping Gideon would get the meaning.

"Oh." Was all he said, and Lumi paused at the one worded response. "I'm on my way I'll be there now." He said quickly, and Lumi chuckled at that.

"Appreciate it, Gideon." She said, hanging up so as to not distract him while he drove.

A few seconds later and a cop car came barreling down the road, ignoring her and heading towards where Is was. She felt a growl of gratitude bubble in her throat, but she managed to keep it relatively quiet.

It took her a few minutes, but she eventually reached the Jumps Inn. She leaned against a pillar, glad for the support it provided. She stood there for a time, earning stares from the occasional Rabbit.

It didn't take long for Gideon's van to pull into the parking lot, and even less for him to get her into it when he saw her.

"Where's Is?" He asked, though he pronounced it like the word it's spelling looked like, but she ignored it.

"He stayed behind to make sure the cops would get a statement from a witness. So that bastard wouldn't mix the story up." She said, gritting her teeth when they hit a bump.

"I like to pretend he has good intentions at heart, just that those intentions aren't the best for us Foxes." Gideon said, looking at her. "So...Is?" He asked, pronouncing it correctly this time.

"Nobody else." She said, Gideon looking back at the road.

"I hope it works out." He said, and Lumi had to agree. It was a medical first, as far as she knew. So many things could go wrong that she pretended it wasn't actually happening at times.

"So do I, Gideon. So do I." She said, crossing her arms in thought. Or at least she tried to, but the pain wasn't worth it.

"So Allan got ya, huh?" Gideon asked, and Lumi tilted her head. "He's the only Bunny I know who has a double barreled." He said, and Lumi nodded in understanding.

"Well, then I suppose it was Allan." She said, trying to shrug. That was a no go too.

"I can't believe he would actually do something like that! I mean, he's made threats, but I didn't think he'd actually go through with it." Gideon said, huffing in anger.

"Mammals are often the most complex creatures. However, they are often the most simple as well." She said, earning a chuckle despite Gideon's tense mood.

"That they are, Lumi. That they are." He said, and the rest of the trip was made in silence, only broken by the occasional hiss of pain from Lumi when they would hit a bump in the road.

After about ten minutes, they came into sight of the Bunny Burrow Hospital, and Lumi let out a breath of relief. She was starting to get lightheaded, and that was definitely _not_ a good thing.

When they stopped, Lumi tried to open her door and step out. Apparently, the way her legs had been resting had put them asleep. So when she fell o the ground, she managed to land on her back, but it still hurt.

"Ow." She said, Gideon coming around the van and helping her up. They made their way in, ignoring the looks from the Rabbits they passed.

"Gideon! How good to see you!" The receptionist exclaimed, apparently not seeing Lumi. Or just ignoring her for the moment to greet Gideon. Either one was likely, really.

"Hey, Carol. My friend here was uh... _playing_ with her mate. Allan got her when she mistook him for her mate." He said, the receptionist blinking in confusion about how a Fox would mistake a Bunny for their mate.

They only needed about two seconds to think about it before their eyes lit up in understanding.

"Right this way. We'll get that rock salt out." The receptionist said, and Lumi smiled gratefully.

"Thank you. I am more worried for their sake than mine, though." She said, and the receptionist paused.

"Who?" She asked, looking at Lumi.

"Them." Lumi said, and the receptionist took note of where her hanging paw hovered.

"Oh." Was all the receptionist said, turning back around and showing her to where they would get the rock salt out.

"All I can say is I'm glad it was just rock salt." Gideon said, and Lumi understood what he meant.

"Slug would have been better." Lumi said, Gideon's forehead bunching in thought.

"How would a slug be better than rock salt." He asked, and Lumi realized he had thought she meant the slugs some mammals ate.

"A slug in this instance is a solid projectile, used for large damage in a central area, as well as range and accuracy where the pellets would not provide." Lumi explained, and Gideon looked away and mumbled something unintelligible, likely something about his lack of knowledge on firearm lingo.

"I still don't get how that's better." Gideon said, the trio passing a small group of Bunnies who looked at them with wide eyes, evidently surprised to see them.

"Less pieces, localized bleeding. The kinds of things that you would prefer over a large area of wounds. Think of it like being stabbed in the chest versus limb removal." She said, looking at the pudgy Red Fox, who gained a look of alarm. "One is cleaner, and leaves a chance of survival. The other is potentially deadlier, with less time to get the bleeding stopped." She explained, ignoring the way Gideon visibly took a step away from her.

"It scares me how much knowledge you have on this stuff, but it's not my place to ask about that. Right now, we need to get out that rock salt. You're lucky you managed to dodge most of it. Looks like just a few pieces." The receptionist said, opening a door. Lumi walked in, Gideon moving to follow her. "Sorry, Gid. Only relatives or doctors." She said, placing a paw on his stomach, seeing as that was the highest she could comfortably reach and still hold him back.

"I understand. You want me to tell Is?" Gideon asked, gesturing to where Lumi's paw hovered.

"No. I want to wait until I am being completely positive." She said, Gideon nodding in understanding.

"See you in a bit, then." He said, backing away until he hit the wall. He leaned against it, crossing his arms.

"See ya." Lumi said, the door closing. The receptionist grabbed the attention of a nurse and informed her of the circumstances, then went back to her desk when she got confirmation that the nurse would be ready in a moment.

 _POV Switch: Is_

Is entered the hospital, trying desperately not to look panicked. It was harder than he would have thought.

When the cops had arrived, he'd given a detailed explanation, save for the fact of _why_ Lumi and him were playing in the woods. He knew they were cops, but they were still cops in Bunny Burrow. They were just as likely to be as backwards as the Rabbit who had shot Lumi, and he wasn't going to risk that.

They'd hauled the Bunny into their cruiser, and asked him if he needed to go anywhere. He said his mate was going to the hospital, and he needed to get there but didn't have a car or anything to take him. They, being the generous Rabbits they were, had given him a ride to the hospital.

As he entered, he locked eyes with the receptionist. He walked over, leaning against it in a way that made it obvious he really didn't have the time to wait for an hour to be seen.

"My mate came in with rock salt buried in her shoulder, caused by a crazy Bunny with a shotgun." He said, and the receptionist stood.

"Come with me." She said, walking back to where she had left Gideon. Is followed, a grim line set into his lips as he went over the various ways things could go wrong.

"How is she?" He asked, his tone fearful.

"Oh, she's fine. She dodged the majority of the projectiles, so it's just a few small wounds. Nothing to worry about. A nurse is currently getting the pieces out, but I'd advise against any further playing in the near future." She said, letting Is know she knew full well what 'playing' meant.

"I'll be sure to let her know." Is said, lip twitching in the beginning of a smile.

When he saw Gideon standing across from a doorway, he paused. Gideon looked up, glee spreading across his muzzle at the sight of Is.

"Is! How are you?" He asked, Is moving to stand beside him.

"Oh, good. Aside from worrying about my mate's wellbeing." He said, and he caught a glint of something in Gideon's eye that meant he knew something Is didn't.

"I'm sure she'll be fine. She seems tough." The pudgy Red Fox said soothingly, smiling reassuringly at Is.

"She is. I just worry about infection." He said, foot squeaking on the floor as he moved it.

"Me too, Is. But she can handle it, from what little I know of her." Gideon said, and Is sighed.

"She called her dad a few hours ago. Said it was just to check up on him, but I don't think it was. She usually only calls him when she needs to tell him something she can't tell me. You have any idea what it could be about?" Is asked, looking at Gideon.

"Nope." He answered, a little too quickly.

"I see." He said, frowning. The door to the room opened, a Rabbit in doctor garbs stepping out.

"Which one of you is the-" The Bunny paused, Is not seeing Gideon shake his head quickly. "The mate?" She finished, Gideon letting out a breath silently.

"I am." Is said, stepping forward. The nurse blinked in surprise, but recovered marvelously quickly.

"Come on in. We got the wounds clean, we just want you to make sure she's okay." She said, Is blinking in confusion. "Sometimes patients pretend to be fine so they can leave early. They tell doctors they feel fine but tell the family that they aren't." She explained, and Is nodded. He didn't think Lumi would do that, but they wanted to make sure.

"Alright." He said, walking into the room. The nurse stepped out and closed the door behind her, leaving Is and Lumi alone.

"Hey, Is." Lumi said, raising her arm and waving.

"Hey Lumi. How are you?" He asked, Lumi frowning.

"I feel fine. A little residual pain from the kinetic impact, but otherwise fine." She said, smiling reassuringly. "Just like I told the nurse. I have no real reason to lie, so I didn't." She said, and Is nodded.

"I didn't think you would, but they wanted to be sure." He said, gesturing to the door behind him.

"I understand, Is. You know when I can leave?" She asked, Is sitting on the edge of the bed Lumi laid on. It was remarkably stiff and uncomfortable.

"I just got here, so no." He said, shaking his head. Lumi groaned, then looked at the door.

"So does this mean no more Hunts?" She asked, Is frowning in thought.

"Let's leave that for our apartment. Where we know somebody won't shoot one of us." He said, Lumi chuckling.

"But that takes some of the adventure out of it." She complained, and Is had to laugh at that, shaking his head in amusement.

"Yeah, but I'm not risking you again." He said, poking her in the stomach playfully. He chuckled, standing up and walking towards the door. "I'll let the nurse know you're fine." He said, looking at her over his shoulder. He opened the door and closed it behind him, and Lumi heard him say something about her being fine.

She looked down at where Is had poked her, a small smile resting on her lips.

"I love you, but you are going to give me a panic attack at this rate." She said, chuckling despite the circumstances.

The door opened, and the nurse stepped in, closing the door behind her.

"So, if you really are okay, then you can leave today. The wounds from the rock salt aren't too bad, but I'd advise against any strenuous activity." She said, glaring at Lumi seriously at the last few words.

"I understand, nurse. I will be careful." She said, the nurse staring for a few moments before looking down at a clipboard in her paws.

"Judging from his behavior, I'm guessing he doesn't know." The nurse said, and Lumi rubbed where Is had poked to smooth the disturbed fur down.

"I didn't want to get his hopes up. So many things could go wrong that...I just didn't want him to be so excited and then something goes wrong." She said, looking away from the nurse.

"I understand. It's the same way with a lot of mammals, you know. These things...they're even riskier." The nurse said, letting out a sigh.

"I was going to wait until I was positive it would work to tell him, but after today..." Lumi trailed off, hoping the nurse would get what she meant.

"Right." The nurse said, sighing. "Well, let's get you signed out." She said cheerfully, trying to drain the somber mood.

"Yes. Let's." Lumi agreed, smiling and waiting as the nurse checked some things on her clipboard, a frown on her lips as she thought.

"Okay, so you shouldn't worry about infection. We'll give you some pills just in case, though. The rock salt was surprisingly clean, the only contaminants being blood from you and some residual gunpowder from the weapon of choice. We cleaned that out, as you well know." The nurse said, Lumi wincing. That had not been fun in the slightest. "Just take things easy and you should be fine within a couple of days." The nurse concluded, smiling cheerfully at Lumi as she let her stand up to leave.

She exited the room, and Is was immediately upon her trying to offer her any help he could.

"Did they say what that lump in your stomach was?" Is suddenly asked, and Lumi froze in surprise.

"We think it's just some food she ate. Nothing to worry about." The nurse answered, to which Lumi was grateful.

"Oh. Okay then." Is said, though his tone made it obvious he didn't believe that.

"It really is nothing to worry about, Is. I promise." Lumi said, though her words sounded hollow.

"Nothing important, huh?" Is asked, and Lumi flinched. She was glad he was in front of her, so he didn't see it.

"Nothing important." She agreed, though the words, despite being used to keep the lie going, still hurt her to use.

Gideon looked at her, surprised by her agreement, before he remembered that Is didn't know.

They signed out, Lumi scratching at the bandages around her shoulder. She received a slap to her paw from the nurse, who stood by her still, but it relieved the itch she had for the moment.

They exited the hospital minus the nurse, who went back to whatever it was nurses did during their free time. They clambered into Gideon's van, who had offered to drive them back to the Jumps Inn. They had nothing better to do, so they agreed.

When the van started and lurched forward, Lumi grunted when Is accidentally elbowed her in the stomach, suppressing the urge to snap at him for the hit.

"Ow." She said, rubbing her stomach. At least it gave her an excuse to keep her paw there for the rest of the trip.

"So, how long do you think Allan will get for attempted murder?" Is asked, looking at Gideon. The Fox bit his lip in thought, though he thankfully kept his eyes glued ahead.

"I'd reckon a month, if you're lucky." He said, and Is felt anger boil up.

"I would say our luck has been pretty good so far." Lumi said, and Gideon cast a smile her way when Is took his attention from him to look at Lumi questioningly.

"Lumi...you got shot." He said, and Gideon snorted.

"Yeah? She also got p-"

"Got with the buck of my dreams!" Lumi interrupted loudly, Gideon closing his mouth abruptly at almost letting the secret out. "Well, I guess I'd always dreamed of a _Tod_ when I was younger, but...you know." Lumi said, letting out a nervous chuckle.

"So you would like me to change my name to Tod?" Is asked, and Lumi saw Gideon's eyes bulge as he tried to hold back a laugh. He failed, and the van was filled with noise as both him and Lumi laughed harder than they probably should have.

"Is...A Tod is a male Fox." Gideon said, eyes watery as he slowed the van so as to avoid crashing, or at least badly.

"Oh." Is said, blushing in embarrassment at his mix up, and Lumi smiled reassuringly.

"It is being okay, Is. Not many mammals know that either." She said, patting him on the head.

"Still embarrassing." He said, looking down at the floor. After a few moments, Gideon resumed their previous speed of travel, though he occasionally snorted in amusement.

"So I guess I'll be seeing you two again some time, right?" Gideon asked when they pulled into the Jumps Inn, Lumi chuckling.

"Of course. Any excuse to make a friend." Lumi said, and she saw Gideon smile at that.

"Do you...consider me a friend?" He asked, and Lumi thought she saw worry in his eyes before it disappeared.

"Considering I have you to thank for possibly saving my life, I'd say yes." Lumi said, and Gideon looked relieved at that. She and Is hopped down onto the concrete of the parking lot, waving goodbye to Gideon as he backed away.

"He's nice." Is said, neither mammal moving yet.

"He is certainly being friendly." Lumi agreed, smiling.

"What do you think about him?" Is asked, and Lumi paused, uncertain what he meant.

"Like...if I had never met you?" She asked, Is nodding. "I mean...he seems like a nice Fox. And he _is_ decent looking...but it just doesn't seem right to me." She said, Is remaining silent for a moment. "So, while he is funny and nice, I could never see him and myself ever being a thing." She said, and Is seemed to visibly relax, like he had thought of the chances but also didn't want to.

"Well, I'm glad. I don't like to share." He said, and Lumi blushed. "And I just realized that sounds possessive." He said, dragging out the first word awkwardly. Lumi giggled at the admission.

"That is being fine. I like it when you are being possessive. Not too much, but just enough to be...predator like." She said, staring at him with half lidded eyes.

"Lumi, the nurse said no exertion." He said, and Lumi frowned.

"I know. So, it would seem I will have to be doing the fantasizing." She said, smiling at him.

"That's...oh boy." Is said, fanning himself dramatically.

"Hmm, funny. Now let us get inside. I have something to tell you." She said, and Is arched an eyebrow.

"About what?" He asked, looking surprised.

"About...us." She answered, and Is flinched.

"Oh." He said, and Lumi didn't like how sad he sounded. She ignored it for now though, thinking about how she was going to tell him.

The walk to their room seemed to take way too little time for Lumi. For Is, it took way too long.

When they entered, Is sat down on the bed, facing the headboard. Lumi sat against it, frowning in thought.

"Is...there comes a time in a relationship when mammals do certain things. Things they fear will either destroy their relationship with the one they love, or destroy them." She began, and Is looked away. "And I want you to know that I love you. But there is something you need to be knowing. I wanted to keep it a secret. Surprise you. But after today...I can not keep it a secret anymore." She said, and Is had to fight to stop his eyes from watering.

"So this is where it ends." He said, and Lumi blinked.

"W-what?" She asked, appalled at his words.

"That's what you wanted to tell me, isn't it? That you think we moved too fast and want to just be friends?" He asked, finally looking at her.

"No, Is. Why would you think that?" She asked, her own eyes beginning to water at the insinuations.

"Well, I don't know what else you could possibly have to tell me." He said, and Lumi flinched.

"Is...please, listen." She said, gripping his paws.

"Then tell me!" he exclaimed, looking her in the eyes. She took a deep, stuttering breath, and looked him I the eyes bravely.

"I am being pregnant."

 **Boom! There's the end of Chapter 13 of Zootopian Assassins! I hope you guys liked it, because oh my god it was awkward as** ** _hell_** **to write Gideon. Originally, he was supposed to speak with his accent. I gave up halfway through when my spellcheck had a seizure and started saying everything he said was spelled wrong. So I changed it and added the bit in the beginning Author's Note. This is a small bit shorter than five thousand words, but I feel like it did good with it's run. At least it ain't my shorter Chapters, right? But yeah, if you guys didn't catch onto it with Lumi constantly referring to somebody else she needed to worry about, she's preggers. I told you that Oneshot would have consequences. So, tell me what you think. Did I do good? Bad? What? And yes, because I just** ** _love_** **teases, I'm gonna write a Oneshot about Lumi and Gideon. No smex teasing, just an AU where Lumi never met Is and instead, after a few years of living in Zootopia, moves to Bunny Burrows where she meets Gideon. I want to try my hand at Fluff, so I'm getting as much practice as I can. So please leave me some feedback, because I literally need it to know how I'm doing. Not even a joke. Without feedback, I** ** _can not_** **improve. Anyway, that does it for this Chapter, I'll see you guys...next update. Word Count: 4,787**


	15. Captured

**Hey guys Price here and welcome to Chapter 14 of Zootopian Assassins! I hope you guys loved last chapter's cliffhanger ending, because oh my god I was wanting so hard to get to that part. I wanted to wait until around the end of the Arc but realized that it would be incredibly obvious if I didn't have her tell him now. So yeah, that means Lumi and Is will be disappearing for a small amount of time when they get back to Zootopia. But they will be back at the end! And they will be amazing! I guarantee it. So yeah, look forward to that, I suppose. Anyway, that's enough of that, I think it's time to get...onto the story!**

"I am being pregnant." Lumi said, and Is visibly moved backwards in surprise.

"W-what?" He asked, shock at the news evident.

"I am being pregnant." She repeated, and Is' forehead creased as he tried to figure the biology behind that.

"How...how do you know they're mine?" He asked, and Lumi visibly recoiled at that.

"Excuse me!?" She said, and Is flinched.

"I-I just meant that it doesn't add up! The biology, things like that!" He said, trying and failing to explain. Lumi let out a scoff, turning away from Is.

"I can't believe you, Is." She said, crossing her arms. Is looked away.

"I didn't mean it like that, Lumi. I just...I can't figure it out. I know you'd never do that, it just doesn't make sense." He said, and Lumi rounded on him.

"Why does everything have to make sense with you, Is!? Why can't you just be happy with not knowing something for once!?" She shouted, tears in her eyes now.

"I am happy, Lumi! Believe me when I say that! I could honestly care less if they were really mine as long as you gave me the chance to help you raise them!" He shouted, his paws gripping her wrists. "As long as you gave me the chance to be a father, I couldn't care less about that!" He shouted, Lumi looking away.

"I don't know whether I want to slap you or kiss you right now." She said, frowning.

"Honestly, I deserve either one." He said. "Well, I know I deserve the first one." He conceded, Lumi sighing.

"Is...I don't want to fight. I just wanted to let you know. If you need time, I understand. I know I did when I was late the first time." She said, Is scrunching his features at that. "I know, it is being gross. But I didn't want to believe it at first. I thought there was no way we were that lucky. So, I guess I just ignored it. Until the second month came around and nothing happened again." She said, bringing her knees inward and wrapping her arms around them. "I knew there was either something wrong with me, or my luck had improved. Some days I wished it were the first, sometimes I was glad it was the second. Only reason I really knew is when I started getting urges to curl around myself, protect my lower body during moments of stress did I know for certain." She said, resting her muzzle on her knees.

"I bet it also had something to do with the fact you were less amorous." Is said, having moved beside her some time during her talking.

"Probably. At first I worried my body had acted on attraction more than love, and that my body wanted to move on but my mind wanted to believe differently. So, I stayed and now know it was just my body preparing itself." She said, leaning against the Hare.

"You always have me when you need me, Lumi. Always remember that. I'll be here for you, no matter what." He said, and Lumi felt grateful for his words.

"I know, Is. I'm sorry I snapped at you." She said, though she still kept her gaze ahead.

"Sorry I said what I did." Is apologized, and Lumi felt herself smile.

"Just keep in mind that this is a difficult time for females, Is. You got yourself into this mess. There's no pulling out now." She said, and she enjoyed the way Is blushed at her last comment.

"Oh, I know all about your mood swings. I read up on pretty much everything just in case." He said, and Lumi was grateful. Once again, he was proving he cared enough for her to go out of his way and endure embarrassment just to make her happy. She couldn't ask for a better mate.

"Well, at least you are being at least a little prepared." She said, earning a small laugh from the Hare.

"The only real issue is thinking about what to call them." Is said, and Lumi arched an eyebrow at him. "Would they be Boxes or Funnies?" He asked, Lumi sighing.

"I think you mean Hoxes or Fares." Lumi said, Is arching an eyebrow. "You are being a Hare. Let us leave the Boxes and Funnies to Nick and Judy." She said, and Is frowned. She was right, as she normally was during discussions.

"Well, a Fare sounds better, really." He said, brow creasing in thought.

"So what did the librarian say when you asked for books on Fox pregnancy?" Lumi asked, and Is blinked as his thought was interrupted.

"I told her it was for a friend. That she didn't know what to do and needed some information." He said, and Lumi chuckled at that. It was kinda true.

"Well, you are not being wrong." She said, and Is smiled lightly at that.

"Although I don't think she believed me, if her smile was any indication." Is admitted, shrugging.

"I do not blame her. It would still be weird even if it was." Lumi said, Is frowning. "But I am glad you would do that for me." She added, smiling gratefully.

"Of course! Better to be prepared for the seemingly impossible than to be caught off guard when it happens." Is said, smiling back at her.

"That it is, Is. That it is." She agreed, leaning back and resting her head against the headboard of the bed.

"So what do you want to do now?" Is asked, Lumi leaning her head to the side in thought.

"We could cuddle?" Lumi tried, her expression unsure.

A few minutes later found them together for the second time that day.

 _April 7, 2017_

Lumi leaned against the wall of Gideon's bakery, Is standing by the counter talking to the Fox in question. They'd been paying him visits every so often, but he insisted on giving them free pies when they did. They didn't know why, but the food was appreciated nonetheless.

"So I visited the Jumps Inn the other day, and they said you haven't been checked in since after your first week here. You find somewhere else to stay?" Gideon asked, and Lumi looked up from the tile she had been staring at in surprise.

"Uh...you could say that." Is said awkwardly, and Gideon frowned.

"You guys aren't roughing it, are you?" He asked, sending a worried glance at Lumi.

"Uh...no..." Is said, and Gideon took on a look very similar to Judy when she was unamused by one of Nick's antics or quips.

"Is, Lumi is freaking _pregnant with your kits_ , and you're living in the woods." Lumi was surprised at how he phrased it as a statement rather than a question. "Any mammal could see her condition, and you're risking everything because you won't ask anyone if they could house you for a little while." He finished, crossing his arms across his chest.

"Well then what would you like us to do?" Is asked, and Lumi rolled her eyes. It seemed pretty obvious to her.

"Stay with the Hopps. Stay with me. I don't care, just stay with somebody who can help you if anything happens!" Gideon exclaimed, gesturing to Lumi. Is frowned, letting out a huff.

"He is being right, Is. As fun as camping is, and having no chance of being caught, we need to have somebody to help us just in case." She said, Is clearly conflicted. He wanted what was best, but he also wanted them to have some semblance of privacy.

"I know. But with the Hopps', there wouldn't be any privacy. And I wouldn't be comfortable putting you out." Is said, gesturing to the pudgy Red Fox.

"Oh please, I have enough room. For some reason my house has like...five bedrooms." Gideon said, looking away from the Hare in thought. "Not really sure why. Not like Bunnies lived there." He added, shrugging.

"Guest rooms." Lumi said, though it was more of a question than the statement it sounded like.

"They could be. But you guys would have four rooms to choose from, so it's really no big deal." Gideon said, Is looking uncertain.

"We'll sleep on it, Gid." He finally said, and the Red Fox nodded in understanding. It was a bit awkward to be invited to stay with somebody you considered a friend when your mate was also pregnant with your hybrid kits.

"I'll be seeing you guys later, then. Try not to get on the bad sides of any of the Bunnies, Lumi." Gideon said jokingly, Lumi grimacing at the reminder. Her shoulder still cramped up from time to time, though it wasn't usually major. Just a little stiffness, and that was it really.

"Yeah, I will be doing that." Lumi said, her and Is walking out after receiving the usual gifts.

After a few moments of walking, Is moved in front of her, walking backwards and looking at her.

"He's definitely friendly." He said, and Lumi smiled at the tone.

"Is, you know he's just worried about us. He is right, after all. Something goes wrong and we have nobody to help us. So while I understand your concerns, I don't really share them. Besides, I think he's just lonely. Sure, he has the Hopps' and whoever else, but I'm the only Fox besides Nick that he considers his friend. So, naturally he'd be quick to try and make sure I'm fine." She said, Is frowning.

"I know, Lumi. I just worry. I'm a worrier, you know that." He said, and Lumi smiled.

"And you are being perfect just the way you are. Never let society tell you what you should do." She said, placing her paws in her pockets.

"When did you get so wise?" He teased, Lumi smiling. This was the kind of banter she enjoyed.

"When I had another life to look out for besides my own." She said, looking down at the Hare with a kind smile.

"As happy as I am for us, I'm still confused how that whole thing works. I don't really care what they look like, but what if they have like...physical deformities? I wouldn't love them any less, you'd have to be a horrible parent to do so, but they would have trouble in life." He said, and Lumi frowned at the words.

"Then we do what we can. No good mammal could blame us for that." She replied, looking out over the field to their right. Bunny Burrow had been kind, the openness and fresh air if not the residents.

"I suppose they couldn't." Is agreed. The silence of the country side took over, only broken by the occasional wind ruffling fur or clothing.

After a few more minutes of walking, the forest appeared in the distance. They passed the house that sat by the road, one of the few in Bunny Burrow, with it's apple orchard in the distance behind it. They weren't sure who lived there, since they never saw a vehicle whenever they passed, so they hardly paid any heed to it anymore.

When they arrived at the edge of the woods, they stepped off the road and into the embrace of the trees and bushes and dappled sunlight. A few moments later they arrived at the camp they had set up, Is setting the baked goods from Gideon into the tent they mainly used for storing things, preferring to sleep outside unless it was raining.

"You know, we never did tell Judy and Nick." Lumi said, and Is paused.

"Or Fantasma and Danny." He added, Lumi chuckling.

"I wonder if he and that Jaguar got together." Lumi said, looking upward in thought.

"You mean the receptionist at the hospital?" Is asked, pulling their sleeping bags from the tent.

"Yeah, her. What was her name, again?" Lumi asked, catching her own when he tossed it to her.

"I think he said it was Amanda." He answered, both of them laying their sleeping bags down on the ground.

"He never really did talk about her after the hospital. So unless he just doesn't want to talk about it..." Lumi trailed off, sitting down on her sleeping bag.

"Right." Is said, sitting down on his own. Neither were really comfortable talking about the endings of relationships, mainly because of their own private fears.

They remained silent for a few moments, Lumi frowning as she thought about something.

Lumi looked at Is, who was busy looking at the leaves above them. She grinned to herself, an idea coming to mind.

Is stared at a patch of leaves above him, looking to see if he could find any patterns in a way to pass time. That thought was interrupted when he was suddenly bowled over, a yelp of surprise escaping him.

"So I was thinking...and I realized I have a better way to pass the time." Lumi said, Is' eyes widening. He hadn't really been thinking about that since she'd told him she was pregnant.

"If you're sure..." He said nervously, worried she was pushing herself to keep some semblance of normalcy in this situation.

"Only time I was ever more sure was our first time." She said, nipping at an ear playfully.

"Well, I suppose we should get to it then." Is said, Lumi grinning in agreement.

The next few hours were absolute heaven.

 _The Next Day_

Lumi groaned as she sat up, her whole body sore. She shook her head to clear it, looking around.

"Is?" She said, not seeing the Hare. When she received nothing in return, she frowned. Unless he had a very good excuse for ignoring her, he...well, she probably wouldn't do anything. Maybe make him feel bad.

She felt her paw brush something, and she looked down. It was a note.

 _'Hey Lumi, if you find this it means I've gone to town for a little bit. Gonna get some more water. That's it.'_ It said, and Lumi let out a breath of relief. At least she knew where he was now.

She went about collecting her clothes, which were somehow scattered around the area like a wind storm had gone through.

After putting them into a bag which they used for dirty clothes, she got dressed and, bored, went about disassembling and reassembling her sidearms. She did this for about an hour before rustling in the foliage drew her attention away from them.

She was surprised when Gideon stepped into their camping area, a panicked look on his face.

"Lumi! Oh thank god, I need your help!" He said, and Lumi let out a sigh. She reassembled her sidearms within the span of thirty seconds, holstering them and standing.

"What is it?" She asked, Gideon looking around briefly.

"I don't know, that's the thing. Is was leaving my shop when this van pulled up and this group of mammals jumped out! They wore like, I don't know, military fatigues or something! Had a white patch with a red cross on their shoulders!" He explained, and Lumi grimaced.

"Of course. I should've known." She said, growling and walking over to the tent. She opened it, stepping in.

"Lumi? What are you talking about?" Gideon asked, Lumi ignoring him. She donned her Brotherhood garb, sheathing her Throwing Knives and putting on her bracers. She made to close the bag when she spotted something. With a smile, she placed it in a pocket. She left the hood down as she stepped out.

"Gideon, listen to me. I need you to go home. Lock the doors. I will get Is." She said, Gideon looking her over.

"Lumi, you're pregnant! You can't! Call the police, something! What even _is_ this?" Gideon exclaimed, gesturing to her gear.

"The police can't help us. Don't worry about me." She said, pulling the hood up and walking past him.

"Lumi, I'm not gonna let you go alone!" Gideon shouted, gripping her shoulder in protest.

Lumi spun around quickly, her forty five out and pointed at Gideon before he could react. She held the pose for a moment, Gideon looking between her and the darkness of the gun barrel, then flipped it around to where the grip was towards the Red Fox.

"Take it." She said, Gideon hesitating. "Take it!" She repeated, voice raised. Gideon flinched and hesitantly took it, and she grabbed his paw. She raised the barrel to her own forehead, cocking the hammer on the sidearm.

"What are you doing!?" Gideon shouted, trying to pull it away. She held him there though, looking him in the eyes.

"Pull the trigger." She ordered, Gideon looking shocked at that.

"What!?" He exclaimed, mouth opening lightly.

"You heard me. Pull the trigger." She said, Gideon shaking his head. "If you can't pull a trigger right now, why should I trust you to back me up in the event I need your help?" She asked, Gideon staring in shock.

"You're gonna kill them?" He asked, Lumi unflinching at the question.

"If I don't, they'll try to kill me. So, will you pull the trigger or not?" She asked, Gideon closing his eyes. He squeezed.

 _Click!_ Came the report, Gideon opening his eyes.

"It wasn't loaded!?" He shouted, Lumi grinning. She released his paw, taking the sidearm back.

"You really think I'd let you pull the trigger on a loaded gun that close to me?" She asked, Gideon staring at her, open mouthed. "Though I'll give you points for being brave enough to risk it." She conceded, shrugging.

"Never do that again." Gideon said, Lumi arching an eyebrow.

"Wasn't planning on it. Unfortunately, you're still not coming." She said, Gideon opening his mouth to speak. Lumi slammed her paw into his forehead, his eyes rolling back into his head and collapsing to the ground. "Sorry, but I'm not getting you involved." She said even though he wouldn't hear her, turning around and setting into a jog.

She exited the woods, noting Gideon's van on the edge of the woods. She ignored it, walking past it and looking up. It was almost dark.

She and Is had seen lights to the West of their camp sight, though they had ignored them, thinking them a house. Now she had a reason to investigate.

She stepped off the road after leaving a note to Gideon that she wanted him to stay safe, and to not go looking for them if they never came back.

She looked down when she felt something touch her paw, squatting down and picking up a length of wire. Handles rose up after about a foot of wire, Lumi grinning. She was on the right track, at least. She pocketed the Razor Garrote, knowing she might need it.

Lumi stood, looking out over the expanse of the field towards where the lights tended to be. She felt bad about knocking out Gideon, but she couldn't risk him getting hurt because he thought the conflict was avoidable through talking. From what she knew from Judy and Nick, that was a child's view.

The sound of a vehicle approaching behind her made her turn, surprised to see a truck approaching. She waited, since it would be suspicious to try and run. When it was a few feet away, the door opened and a Rabbit she didn't recognize hopped out, looking at her.

"What are you doing out here?" He asked, Lumi narrowing her eyes.

"Taking a shortcut." She answered, gesturing with her head the direction she was heading.

"Oh, you don't want to go over there. Bad things have happened over there to mammals who go looking." The Rabbit said, and Lumi smiled at the mammal's concern.

"I can protect myself." She said, the Bunny frowning.

"Now look, I don't doubt that, but it's painfully obvious you have a condition." The Bunny said, and Lumi glanced down. He was right, her outfit did have a small bulge in the front.

"I don't expect a fight." She said, the Bunny arching an eyebrow.

"That's a lot of weaponry for somebody who don't expect a fight." He said, gesturing to her Throwing Knives.

"...Those are a precaution." She said, earning a snort from the Rabbit.

"Right. Well, I can't force you not to go, seeing as you're bigger and undoubtably stronger than me, but I do ask that you at least take somebody who can help you if something happens." The Rabbit said, and Lumi looked back towards her location.

"Somebody's meeting me there." She said, hearing the Bunny sigh in defeat.

"Alright. I just thought I'd warn ya." He said, climbing back into his truck. After a moment, it started back up and the Bunny backed away until he could turn the truck, driving off. When he was a suitable distance away, Lumi looked at her bracer.

"I should tell them." She said to herself, though she hesitated. Even if they decided to come, they'd be too late to help. With a huff, she raised her bracer. They deserved to know, just in case.

She brought the screen to life, opening the Direct Link. She pulled up Judy, Nick, and Fantasma, and began typing.

 _'Is has been kidnapped. Going to get him back.'_ It read when she was done, and she sent it. After a few moments, she received a collective wall of text from the three of them. Given the size of the screen, it wasn't really that much though.

 _'Where!?'_ Judy asked, and Lumi could only imagine the panic she felt.

 _'Do you need our help?'_ Nick asked, Lumi looking up at the sky to judge the time.

 _'Lumi, if you need me I can be there in the hour. He's my responsibility as the Team Leader.'_ Fantasma said, and Lumi rolled her eyes.

 _'Judy, it's Bunny Burrow. No Nick, I will be fine. And Fantasma? He's also my responsibility as my mate and the father of our kits.'_ She replied, looking around to make sure nobody else was approaching.

 _'Wait...'_ Judy replied, Lumi renewing her approach to the lights, which had just appeared in the distance.

 _'You're...'_ Nick said, and Lumi groaned as she realized what they three of them were doing.

 _'_ _ **Pregnant?**_ _'_ Fantasma finished. Lumi chuckled at that, finding it funny how mammals found the concept so hard to believe with two different species. Then again, she didn't have room to judge them on that, seeing as she had thought the same upon her discovery.

 _'Yes. Four months.'_ She answered, minutes passing afterwards in silence.

Her phone ringing made her jump, since she hadn't expected that. She lowered her bracer, fishing her phone from her pocket and blinking in surprise. It was Judy.

"Hello?" She asked, placing the device to her ear after answering it.

"Lumi, you can't go after him! Not four months pregnant!" Judy shouted, and Lumi winced, pulling the phone away.

"I'm the closest active Sister to him. You wouldn't get here in time." Lumi retorted, and she heard Judy growl in annoyance.

"Lumi! We can be there in three hours! Wait for us!" Judy shouted, and Lumi sighed.

"Join me when you arrive. It's five miles west of the train station." She said, closing the call before Judy could reply. It was not up for discussion. She began running, intent on reaching Is before the three of them arrived.

Thirty minutes later, and she arrived at a perimeter fence surrounding the area.

She looked around, spotting a stick on the ground a few feet away. She picked it up and, with another quick glance around, threw it at the fence. When nothing happened, she gently laid a paw across the mesh of the fence. No electrical surges. She climbed over it, rolling with the impact as she landed on the other side.

She looked around, noting the fact nobody seemed to be on the outside. They were probably waiting for her inside, looking to overwhelm her with sheer numbers.

It would seem that it was time to put her training to the test.

She arrived at the main building without any issue, which was beginning to unnerve her a bit. Even if they were planning on trapping her, they should have at least a few perimeter guards just in case.

She made to move to the door, but paused as she passed a truck. Looking around, she spotted quite a few more vehicles. With a smile, she set about cutting fuel lines on the vehicles. There wasn't really a point, seeing as she didn't plan on leaving anybody alive to escape, but better safe than sorry.

When she was done and somehow avoided getting any on her, she stood outside the doors and rolled her shoulders.

She paused again, looking around. With a shrug, she ran off to take care of some business. About thirty minutes later, she approached the door again from the opposite direction she had left in. She glanced around again, making sure the coast was clear.

She pushed open the door.

 **Alright, and that does it for Chapter 14 of Zootopian Assassins! Man, I am just on a roll with these cliffhangers, aren't I? I also can't believe we're almost done with the Turmoil Arc! Jeez, next chapter is the halfway point. Can't believe that. Next Arc will likely introduce an Associate or two, but don't get your hopes up. So yeah, hope you guys like the Turmoil Arc so far, because I certainly do. Do tell me if my reactions are odd during the opening segment of this Chapter. I don't have any experience with this stuff, so if you guys or gals do, please correct me. I want my characters to be as natural as possible, but I need feedback on them for me to improve. Also, just want to point it out, but Lumi's sidearms are a Colt 1911 .45 and a Walther PPQ 45. Anyway, that's all for now, I'll see you guys...next update. Word Count: 4,546**


	16. One Fox Army

**Hey guys Price here, and welcome to Chapter 15 of Zootopian Assassins! Here comes the Chapter where I show you just how bada$$ Lumi is. I hope you guys have looked forward to this, because I looked forward to writing it. I was gonna have Lumi and Nick's fight during the Holo Training Chapter be longer to show just how skilled she is, but I figured how quick it was showed that a little. So yeah, expect a** ** _lot_** **of violence in this Chapter. This is the Chapter where the story earns it's Assassin's Creed Typical Violence tag on AO3. Also, there's gonna be a very important death in this Chapter. Not gonna say who, but I promise it's not something you guys are gonna expect. And yes, I know I have said that Lumi uses a forty five and a 9mm, but I decided to change it because I found the Walther PPQ .45 design much more pleasing than a Glock 19 9mm. And Lumi wears an outfit based on Evie Frye's Aegis Armor, while Is wears an all brown variant of the Baron Jordane outfit. Anyway, that's enough of them SPOILERS, I think it's time to get...onto the story!**

 **Loadouts**

 **Lumi: Normal Hidden Blades on both bracers; A Colt 1911 .45 caliber sidearm; A Walther PPQ .45 sidearm; Two Combat Knives; Twenty Throwing Knives; Magazine Ejection System; Fifteen bars of Composition 4; A baton for capture missions**

 **Is: ACIII Hidden Blades on both bracers; Five different styles of Garrote, with the Razor Garrote being his favorite; Fifteen Throwing Knives; A baton for capture missions**

Lumi entered the building she suspected the Templars had brought Is to. If not, she still got to take her rage out on a valid target, and that was good. Probably.

The corridor on the other side of the door was dark, but being a Fox, it wasn't that big a problem for her.

She took a few tentative steps into the corridor, casting her gaze around for anything that might give away an ambush. With nothing making itself obvious, she began walking down the corridor.

She stopped as the sound of voices reached her ears, straining them as she tried to decipher what they were saying.

"So, you see that Hare Sigma Team brought in?" A mammal asked, and Lumi strained her sight. She made out a corner a few feet away, and she silently took cover behind it. There, a dozen or so meters away, were two guards.

"Yeah, man. That Otso Bear guy scares me, honestly." The other mammal said, and Lumi imprinted the name to her memory, knowing it would be important some day.

"He scares everybody, dude." The first mammal said, and Lumi scoffed silently.

"Shuddup." The second mammal retorted. Lumi turned the corner and began walking towards the mammals.

 _Clack!_

 _Clack!_

 _Clack!_

 _Clack!_

The mammals both looked in her direction at the sound of her shoes impacting the ground.

"Who's there!?" The first mammal asked, and Lumi noted he was a few feet behind the other. She stopped, and the mammals looked at each other. A flash in the darkness was the first mammal's only warning before he let out a gurgle. He slowly sank to his knees as his paws tried to staunch the flow of blood from his throat. His paws met the handle of the Throwing Knife embedded to the hilt in his neck, and he fell to the side.

"Crap!" The second mammal exclaimed, turning to look at the dead mammal on the ground.

Lumi ran forward, hopping up and kicking off the wall as the mammal turned to face her direction. Her knees impacted with the mammal's chest and he fell back from the momentum. She wrapped her paws around his head and twisted, snapping his neck before he could react.

She stood and walked over to the first mammal, pulling the Throwing Knife free from his throat and wiping the blood from the blade. She sheathed it, then turned and continued her walk down the corridor.

She walked for about another two minutes before she came across more signs of occupation, this time coming across a t-section with a mammal on either side passage.

"So, do you really think that Fox is gonna try and fight her way through us to get to that Hare?" The mammal on the right asked, voice slightly raised to account for the distance.

"According to our latest intel, she's currently four or five months pregnant, so I doubt it." The mammal on the left answered, and Lumi grinned at that. She had the element of surprise, at least.

"So they think she'll call in help from some of the other Assassins, the upper brass?" The mammal on the right asked, Lumi approaching silently.

"Yeah, that's right. I think they said it would take like...two or three hours for the other mammals to arrive. Plenty of time for that Ralph guy to get the information from the Hare that they need." The other mammal answered. Lumi was now only a few feet away from the mammal on the right.

She dashed forward, a combat knife out and sliding a path through the mammal's stomach before he could react. She stopped in front of him, bringing the knife back and opening a second mouth on his throat. She spun around as she sheathed the combat knife, two Throwing Knives flying through the air and sinking into each side of the other mammal's chest, a faint gasp escaping him.

As the innards and blood of the mammal behind her touched the floor, she retrieved her Throwing Knives and sheathed them. Then, after thinking it over, grabbed the Heckler and Koch 416 the mammal held and strapping it to her back. It never hurt to have some extra firepower, and she would need it when, not if, things got loud.

As she neared what she assumed would be the central hub of the building, she paused when she neared a door. The first sign of a different area, and she was determined to clear out the building like a nest of rats. Wait, no, that was Speciest. A nest of cockroaches. Yeah, that was a good analogy.

She approached the door, her combat knife at the ready to protect herself. A small, still active part of her conscious told her she wasn't protecting herself, but she squelched that immediately. Of course she was protecting herself. They were trying to kill her, so she was doing nothing but returning the favor.

The door opened suddenly, making her jump and drop the knife. She brought her hind paws up and, in her haste, kicked it up.

The mammal gasped as the blade sank into his throat, hot, metallic blood oozing from the wound like pus from an infected wound.

As the mammal fell to the ground, Lumi grabbed him around the torso and dragged him away from the door. She gently set him down, taking the knife from his throat and cleaning it.

She approached the door again, her grip on the combat knife in her paws tight enough to make her knuckles pop. She stopped at the door frame, slowly looking into the room. Seeing it was clear, she entered.

The blow came from her left, sending her to the ground before she realized the room wasn't as empty as it appeared.

"Not as quiet as you think, Fox." The mammal who had punched her said, and Lumi growled.

"You will not stop me." She said, rising to her hind paws to look the mammal in the eyes. She was surprised to see it was another Fox, but she didn't let that show on her face.

"I can slow you down, though." The Fox said, dashing forward suddenly.

Lumi blocked a blow, jabbing her fist into her muzzle. With an audible crack, the Fox stumbled back. He lifted a paw and felt his muzzle, wincing slightly. He licked his teeth, a small smile touching his lips.

"I like a challenge, Foxy." He said, getting into a ready stance. Lumi did the same, her stance lower to the ground.

"Who doesn't?" Lumi asked, dashing forward. She sent a kick into the Fox's midsection, surprise flickering across her face when he caught it. He raised his arm, intending to bring his elbow down onto the side of Lumi's leg. She managed to turn in time, his elbow instead hitting the popliteal fossa, the area on the backside of the knee.

Her leg bent as pressure was applied to that specific area, and she brought her head back.

The other Fox's muzzle let out another sickening crunch as he released her, Lumi taking the opening.

She spun and sent a paw into his abdomen, winding him and sending him falling to the ground as he gasped for breath.

"You...you bi-" Lumi cut him off with a punch to the side of his muzzle, the Fox's head impacting the ground.

"I always did hate that term." She said, crouching down over the downed Fox. She gasped as he sent a jab into her throat, standing up and clutching the attacked area with eyes wide.

"Too bad." He said, sending a paw towards her stomach. She managed to block the blow, the desperation of the action clear. "Got something to protect, do we?" He asked sarcastically, advancing on her as she backed away.

"My family." She answered, her gaze hardening. The Fox faltered slightly, his step pausing at the look she now possessed. "And I don't care what I have to do to protect them." She added, advancing on the Fox.

He looked around quickly, searching for a weapon. His gaze rested on the combat knife the initial blow had knocked from her grip. He made to leap for it when Lumi pulled the Colt from it's holster.

"Motherf-" The report of the gun firing cut him off, his head flinging back. The back of his skull shattered, sending grey matter across the room as he fell to the ground.

"Sorry, did you say something?" She quipped, holstering the sidearm and turning to face the end of the room opposite from the door. "Why hello, there." She said under her breath, smiling as she realized the wall was practically _made_ of monitors.

She walked over, bending over slightly to better access the keyboards on the table.

She opened the security cameras, flicking through various feeds until she found the right one. When she saw Is, being held up by chains in a large circular room, she noted the quadrant it was listed under. She activated her Hidden Blade and, glancing around quickly, scratched the number on the underside of her bracer.

She inspected her handiwork, made sure it was legible during a quick glance, and nodded. She walked over and picked up the combat knife, sheathing it and exiting the room.

She paused a few steps away from the door, patting her pockets. With a smile, she ran back in.

She came out a few moments later, closing a clear plastic case the size of a disk and placing it back in the pocket it had been pulled from.

She continued walking for at least five minutes, coming across no other challengers on her way to Is. A door came into sight, and she paused. Remembering her last experience with doors, she shouldered the H&K 416 and advanced slowly.

She arrived at the door, placing her ear against it. When she heard a cacophony of voices, she changed the firing setting on the rifle in her paws to fully automatic.

She slowly and silently opened the door, her gaze resting on the virtual army of mammals with their backs to her. She grinned, shouldering the rifle and aiming for chest height.

She whistled sharply, the wall of mammals turning to look at her. As they realized she was pointing a gun at them, she heard a mammal whimper.

"Crap." A mammal in the crowd said. Any other words were lost as Lumi depressed the trigger.

The sound of screams filled the air as round after round filled the air and cut a hole in the wall in mammals. Blood pooled, bodies lay broken, and some gasped as they slowly died.

When the tell-tale _click!_ of an empty magazine sounded, Lumi threw the gun aside and pulled her sidearms free.

A mammal rushed her from the right, and she ducked under a swipe. She brought a sidearm up and fired a round straight into his gut. He gasped as he fell, clutching the bleeding wound as he tried to staunch the flow of blood. Lumi raised herself, aiming the sidearms into the scrambling crowd.

She fired off one shot at a time, giving any mammal she targeted a third eye in their forehead. Sometimes their heads would explode brain matter out the back, sometimes they wouldn't. When her sidearms were empty, she depressed the button for magazine release.

The empty magazines fell to the ground, clattering against the blood-soaked concrete as she activated the MAS on her thighs. Two magazines flew into the air from a specially designed system she'd had custom made, and Lumi swung her paws out to the side as they came to shoulder level, the magazines sliding effortlessly into the grips. She released the slides, aiming for the next targets of her assault.

A mammal came from her left, swatting the guns aside. She let herself spin with the blow, holstering the sidearms and bringing out her Hidden Blades in one smooth movement.

Her arm flashed out and opened up the throat of the mammal that had attacked her, blood spraying onto her arm.

Another mammal came up from behind her. Lumi took the paw swipe to her shoulder, gritting her teeth against the pain the blow caused. She sent a knee into the mammal's stomach, making him bend over. She rolled over his back, grabbing his head and digging her claws in. She wrenched him over her shoulder, snapping his neck as it impacted with the ground. Hard.

"Die!" A mammal shouted, swinging a knife at Lumi's gut area. She leapt back, though the blade did leave a cut across the cloth. She dashed forward, blocking another swipe with her forearm and stabbing him in the chest. He grunted,and Lumi stabbed him in the throat. She ripped her Hidden Blade to the side, leaving a ragged wound on the mammal's throat that gushed blood.

She threw the mammal to the side, then grabbed a pawfull of Throwing Knives and threw them at a group of mammals a few feet away. Each found their mark, burying themselves into the mammal's necks.

Lumi unsheathed her combat knives and blocked an attempted stab with a swipe that sent the mammal into an overextension that allowed her to slide the blade into his skull. With a yell, she pulled the blade as hard as she could and sent the mammal through the air and into a flip, the blade sliding free.

She spun, dodging a punch and slicing off the paw at the wrist. As the owner of the wound clutched his bleeding stump, she spun and delivered a harsh kick to the side of his head. He fell to the ground, unconscious and bleeding out all over the concrete floor.

"Where is he!?" She shouted, looking around. The other mammals were cowering in fear, their eyes wide as they stared at her. "Tell me where my mate is!" She shouted again, and the crowd all collectively retreated a few steps at the rage in her voice.

"He...he's in Holding Cell A113!" A mammal shouted, and she heard a smack sound out. Probably a mammal slapping the speaker for telling her.

"Thank you." She said, then looking down at her grenade belt. She looked back at the group of mammals, a grin on her muzzle. She ripped it off, then pulled the pin string and threw it into the crowd before they realized what she was doing. She turned as the Flashbangs detonated, and she heard mammals scream as shrapnel buried itself into their bodies.

After a second or two, she turned around and faced the crowd. Her sidearms were out, and she fired. She had killed the remaining mammals before the effects of the Flashbangs had worn off, and she released the magazines in her sidearms. She reloaded, then holstered them. As she turned to leave, the glare of light reflecting off a surface alerted her to the danger.

She rolled to the side as a shot rang out, the round passing through the space her head had just been occupying. She dashed towards cover, leaping and rolling again behind a metal strut. She stood, looking around for something she could use to determine the shooter's location.

"You can't win, Assassin! We have an elite squad waiting for you, in the event you get past me! They've been trained by somebody with a lot more skill than you!" The shooter shouted, and Lumi grinned.

"A master never reveals all his techniques!" She shouted back, and another shot rang out. The strut sparked as the bullet ricocheted, impacting the wall a few feet away from her.

"Maybe so! But I doubt you can handle a coordinated attack from eight different, highly trained mammals!" The shooter retorted, and Lumi chuckled despite the circumstance.

"You know what they say! Do or die!" She shouted back, raising her sidearms to about head level, barrels facing the roof. With a deep breath, she rolled out from behind cover, coming up and immediately ducking back down as another shot rang out. It passed just between her ears, which told Lumi it had been intended as a crippling shot more than a killing one.

"My employer would prefer you alive!" The shooter retorted, and Lumi grinned as she stood. Staring at where she knew the shooter was, she tilted her head slightly.

"You know, my father always thought of snipers as cowards! Hiding behind their scopes hundreds of yards away from their targets!" She shouted, hoping to incite some kind of reaction.

"Well, I'd say he was wrong." Somebody said behind her after a few moments of silence. She turned to find the barrel of an AR15 only inches from her head.

"Hm. Apparently they are also being stupid." She said, the shooter pulling back a little in confusion. She grabbed the barrel shroud and lifted the barrel of the gun, her sudden movements making the shooter depress the trigger. The rifle barked, the gun jerking up even higher at the unexpected firing of the weapon. Lumi raised her Walther, the mammal smiling in appreciation.

"Finally, a worthy opponent." He said, and Lumi dipped her head to the side in agreement. She fired, the shooter jerking back as the bullet tore apart the inside of his skull. She turned as he crumpled, holstering the sidearm and walking away. She hardly noticed she was covered in blood.

Lumi approached the door with the A113 designation painted above it, her gaze hard. She fired a shot into each hinge, shattering the metal. She kicked the door with a shout of anger, the slab of wood sliding to a stop some twenty feet away from where it had been standing. When it fell, her gaze rested on the Red Panda that held a Glock 21 fourth generation model to Is' skull, and she snarled. She raised her own sidearms, aiming for center mass of the Red Panda.

"Ah ah ah, I would be careful if I were you. One wrong move, and I blow this Hare's brains out." The mammal warned, and Lumi faltered slightly. He turned the gun to her, the general aim being her midsection. "Or, if you prefer, I could blow out your guts." He added, and Lumi just then noticed the sound of scuffing above her. With a quick glance, she realized the elite team the shooter had mentioned had surrounded her.

"I just want my mate. You let him and me go, you never hear about us again." She said, the honesty clear in her voice.

"Well, while I believe you, that's like asking me to put this gun in my mouth and pull the trigger. It ain't gonna happen, sweetheart." The Red Panda said, gesturing with the gun slightly.

"Then fight me. One on one. No weapons. I win, me and Is go free. You win...well, I don't care as long as I get to be with my mate." She said, and the Red Panda grinned.

"Normally, I'm not a betting mammal. But sure, I'll humor you." He said, tossing the gun in his paws some distance away behind him. Lumi placed her guns down gently and slid them away, then tossed her combat knives away. She pulled her Throwing Knives free, then paused. With a small grin, she looked at the different mammals that surrounded her. Eight total, evenly dispersed.

"Sorry, but I hate an audience." She said, the Red Panda simply watching as she threw her arms out, the Throwing Knives disappearing. Almost at the same time, the eight mammals suspended by ropes went slack, blood dripping from where the Throwing Knives had embedded into their throats.

"Pity. I was just starting to like my new team." The Red Panda said, frowning slightly.

"Shut up and fight me." She said, getting into a ready stance. The Red Panda charged her, and she braced herself.

Despite his relatively small size, the Red Panda sure knew how to charge a mammal. Lumi was pushed back by the impact, her feet sliding across the floor.

She leapt up, feet impacting the wall and taking the brunt of the impact. She wrapped an arm around the Red Panda's neck and flipped over his back, flinging him away. He landed on his back, skidding a few feet, then got his paws under him and flipped onto his feet, adopting a ready stance as he finally stopped sliding.

"Impressive, I'll admit." The Red Panda admitted, smiling in admiration for her move.

"It's difficult on a smaller mammal. Really only works for something your own size." She said, huffing slightly.

The Red Panda slowly approached her, feet dashing forward occasionally in an attempt to make her jump.

When he was within striking distance of his legs he spun, attempting to deliver a kick to the side of her head. She spun as well, trying for the same thing.

Their legs collided, and Lumi wrapped her own around his. She brought their legs down, sending a quick jab into his muzzle and sending him onto his tail. She brought her leg up and down in an attempt to snap his neck, but he rolled away before her foot impacted.

"It would seem I've underestimated you, Assassin." He said, licking his teeth to see if any were loose.

"Mammals tend to do that." She fired back, lowering herself into a ready stance.

"But you also underestimated me." He said, and Lumi blinked. Her unspoken question was answered when she felt an arm wrap around her throat just under her jaw, a blade immediately under it.

"Ah." She said, letting out a small huff of amusement.

Closing her eyes for a moment, she let out a harsh breath. When she opened them, her pupils were slits and the world had a grey tint to it.

She grabbed both wrists of the mammal behind her, tearing them away from her with speed and strength unexpected. She turned, keeping her grip on the wrist with the knife.

She looked into the eyes of a Red Fox, her pupils making him gasp in shock. She spun, raising the wrist and bringing it down, stabbing the blade into it's wielder's stomach. The Fox let out a harsh cough, his eyes wide as he collapsed to the ground slowly.

She turned to look at the Red Panda, letting out a gasp as she felt a blow connect with her midsection. She fell back, her gaze resting on the Red Panda as his foot lowered to the ground.

She groaned in pain, clutching her stomach and panting as she stood.

"I was hoping to hit you in the back. Sorry about that." He said, and Lumi growled. And it was a growl that made the Red Panda visibly shudder and take a step back.

"You...you are going to pay." She said, her eyes narrowing and lips pulling back in a snarl. She dashed forward, locking her teeth onto the Red Panda's arm as he tried to raise it. The fear stench was palpable.

She shook her jaws roughly, flinging the Red Panda away. He landed on the ground with a gasp as the air was driven from him, and Lumi dashed forward again.

She leaped, landing on his chest and driving what air he'd managed to get back from him again.

She raised her paw, bringing it down in a punch that dazed the Red panda. She shouted in anger repeatedly, bringing her paw down with each shout.

With a scream of rage, she brought her paw down again. The sound of the Red Panda's neck snapping reached her ears, and she stared at the body under her.

She snarled again at the body, then let out a harsh snort. She stood up, spitting on the body of the Red Panda before turning away.

She stumbled over to Is, the pain from the blows she had taken only just now catching up with her. She worked at the manacles they had around his wrists, a frown escaping her.

"Lumi, that you?" Is suddenly asked, Lumi freezing.

"Is?" She asked, unsure if it had really been him or a figment of her imagination.

"Lumi..." Is' voice sounded faint, like he was slipping in and out of consciousness.

"Is!" She shouted, joy overcoming any residual anger she was feeling at the realization he was still alive and well. She cupped his face, looking for any signs of problems.

"Lumi, I'm fine. How'd you get here?" He asked, looking her in the eyes with narrowed one, more out of confusion than anything.

"Three guesses. First two don't count." She answered, frowning when she couldn't get the manacles open. She stood, unholstering her Walther.

"Lumi, you're covered in blood!" He shouted, and Lumi grimaced. Looking down at her outfit, she saw she was indeed covered head to toes in blood.

"Not mine." She said, and Is blinked. "Sorry about this." She said, Is blinking in confusion. She aimed at the chain securing the manacle in place and fired, the chain shattering. Is flinched, ears laying against his skull in an effort to quiet the ringing he was probably experiencing. She fired at the other chain, shattering it as well, and picked Is up.

"Lumi, I can walk!" He protested, and Lumi growled a small bit.

"Is, I am not discussing this. I came here to get you back, and I'm not risking this because you are being too proud to accept help." She said, and that shut Is up.

She walked through the carnage she had wreaked on the occupants of the stronghold, and she heard Is' breathing increase as he took it in.

"You...did all this?" He asked, his voice incredulous at the level of death and destruction Lumi had caused on her own.

"They got in the way." She answered, and she felt Is squirm slightly. "If you need to puke, try not to get it on me. It'll be hell enough as it is trying to get the blood out." She added, letting out a huff of annoyance as she thought about cleaning the outfit she wore.

When they exited the building, Lumi looked around. Seeing the coast clear, she hightailed it for the fence. When she came to it, she looked around again.

"Uh, how are we gonna get over this?" Is asked, and Lumi smirked. She set him down, then looked at the building a few hundred feet behind them. Making a mental calculation, she moved Is over about a foot and pulled a detonator from a pocket. "You didn't." He said, looking at her in shock.

She thumbed the detonator, and the building was surrounded in flames as the bars of C4 she had planted detonated. A burning piece of metal came flying towards them, and Is looked at Lumi in fear. It passed between them, shearing the fence away where Is had been sitting only moments before.

"I did." She said, looking back down at Is. She picked him up again, setting into a brisk jog towards their camp before any first responders arrived on the scene to investigate.

It took a little while, but eventually they arrived back at the camp.

Lumi set Is down, glad to see Gideon had left, and set about peeling the outfit from herself and setting it into a separate bag for cleaning tomorrow. Her bracer chimed, and she tilted her head. She hadn't been expecting any messages, so she didn't know who it could be. She picked it up, surprised to see it was Judy.

 _'Lumi, we're at the train station. Where are you?'_ It read, and Lumi growled quietly.

 _'You may want to find Gideon. He had an...accident.'_ She answered, and she immediately regretted it.

 _'What did you do to him?'_ Judy asked, and Lumi looked at Is.

 _'...I knocked him out.'_ She answered, knowing Judy would find out anyway. _'He wanted to help me get Is. I was not going to allow that.'_ She added, not really feeling like being interrogated at the moment.

 _'I suppose...you did the right thing.'_ Judy conceded, and Lumi felt a small smile at that. It always felt good hearing, or in this case reading, that you did the right thing.

She made to reply when a sudden pain made her gasp, face contorting as she dropped to a knee.

"Lumi! What's wrong!?" Is shouted, suddenly beside her. Apparently he could walk without assistance.

"Coordinates!" She shouted, Is blinking in confusion. "What are they?" She asked, voice quieter now.

"Oh! Uh..." Is trailed off, looking up as he made a rough calculation in his head.

"Forty three, thirty nine, nineteen North, seventy five, twenty seven, forty two West." He said after a few seconds, and Lumi typed them in and sent them to Judy.

Lumi grunted at another wave of pain, her eyes watering.

"Ugh...this sucks." She managed to say, shaking her head.

"What...what happened in there?" Is asked, and Lumi felt her lip curl at another, though somewhat smaller wave of pain.

"You saw." She said, and Is huffed.

"I meant what happened that could cause...whatever this is?" Is said, confusion evident.

"Nothing, that I can recall." She said, breathing heavily at this point.

"We need to get you to the hospital, Lumi. I don't know what this is and I'm scared." He said, and Lumi looked at him in surprise.

"In all my life I never expected to hear you say that." She said, smiling slightly. Is looked away at the sound of squealing tires, worry on his face.

"Lumi! Is!" Somebody shouted, and Lumi grunted as another wave of pain sent her to the ground, and she quickly rolled onto her back.

"Over here!" Is shouted, and the sound of mammals crashing through the undergrowth sounded out.

Judy and Nick crashed into the camp, their gazes resting on Lumi.

"Oh...god."

 **And that does it for Chapter 15 of Zootopian Assassins! I really need to stop ending with cliffhangers! But, anyway, I promised that somebody would die who you guys weren't expecting, and I promise you, somebody important did die. Not gonna say who, because that's SPOILERS, and yes that's how I'm gonna type it from now on, but I'm sure you guys already guessed from the fight between Lumi and Otso. Yes, Otso was the Red Panda. I know they aren't** ** _really_** **bears, but they were the closest to Lumi's size I felt would be convincing in a fight. And yes, one of Lumi's moves in that fight is a reference to the fight between Pyrrha and Cinder in RWBY Volume 3! First person to guess the coordinates given gets told who important died, if they didn't already guess, by the way. And yes, I know Arctic Foxes aren't preggers that long, but...well, I don't have an excuse. Just accept it, I guess. Anyway, that's enough of that, I'll see you guys...next update. Word Count: 5,492**


	17. Aukusta

**Hey guys Price here and welcome to Chapter 16 of Zootopian Assassins! Sorry to end on a cliffhanger last time, but I felt satisfied with that Chapter. This is the conclusion to that sequence of events, so I hope it's satisfying. So yeah, I hope you guys like my Mass Update. I usually write one Chapter with the intent to upload it as soon as possible, but I haven't had much internet since I last updated. And I usually take some breaks every so often, so there's also that. But, I have internet back fully now so I can update a lot more often. So, since it's only April so late in the Arc, that means there are gonna be a few time skips to get towards the end of the year. Just thought I'd warn you. And yay for Nick and Judy coming back! They won't be here long though. Also, Is and Lumi discuss some pretty obvious stuff in their relationship this Chapter I never thought to mention before I read Mistakes by SophieWitch on A03. Anyway, that's enough of that, I think it's time to get...onto the story!**

"Oh...god." Judy whispered, her eyes wide as she laid eyes on Lumi, who was now writhing on the ground.

Nick stared, slack jawed in shock, as he processed what he was seeing.

"We need to get her to the hospital, see what's wrong." He said, although, deep down, he suspected he knew what it was.

"Yeah, that's a good idea." Judy agreed, pulling her phone from a pocket.

After placing the call and being told the paramedics would be there soon, she looked at herself and Nick.

"Yes?" He asked, looking at her with an arched eyebrow.

"You brought the civvies, right?" She asked, and Nick looked thoughtful for a moment.

"Aren't you wearing yours under that?" He asked, and Judy blinked.

"Is, I'm borrowing some clothes." She said, the Hare waving her away in acknowledgement. She entered the tent, coming out a moment later with some civvie clothes on. They were about a size too big, but they would do. Nick already had his Brotherhood outfit in a pile under a bush, so she looked to Lumi.

"This is worrying, you know." Nick said, startling Judy.

"What is?" She asked, confusion evident.

"Arctic Foxes normally gestate for around fifty two days, around seven weeks. She shouldn't have even made it to her second month." He answered, looking at Lumi and biting his lip.

"Maybe it's because the kit is a hybrid?" Judy tried, though the answer seemed a little flimsy to her.

"European Hares are forty two days, so around six weeks." Nick said, shaking his head as he tried to rationalize it.

"Huh. Well...that's the only answer we have so far, so it's what we'll have to go with." Judy said, frowning in thought.

"It would seem so." Nick said, huffing.

A few moments passed before both Judy and Is' ears perked up, swiveling to face the direction of the road. A few seconds later the sound of squealing tires reached their ears.

"That's not the ambulance." Judy said, and Nick stood up, looking into the darkness in an effort to discern who it was. After a moment, he relaxed.

"It's just Gideon." He said, shaking his head.

"How'd he know?" Judy asked, blinking in confusion.

"We'll ask him." Nick answered. A moment later and Gideon stepped into the clearing, panting like he was out of breath.

He laid eyes on Lumi for a few seconds, and then looked at Judy and Nick, his gaze hard as he entered what Judy had started calling "Boss Mode" when her and Nick had visited during a very...wild party. He was commanding, but not overly so, during it.

"Get her to my van. Ambulance is too small. Judy and Nick will stay behind and let the paramedics know I happened along and took them to the hospital. After that, see if you can get a ride there. We'll see what's wrong." He said, and Judy made to protest. "And Hopps? Not today." He added, Judy blinking in shock. Gideon _never_ called her by her last name. _**Ever**_.

"Uh...yes sir." Judy said, looking at Nick. He held up his paws in a 'don't look at me' gesture, and she sighed.

"Now, please." Gideon said, Judy arching an eyebrow.

"I'll allow this for now, Grey." She said, her and Nick helping Is get Lumi to Gideon's van. When they were secured, with some complaining from Lumi, naturally, they watched as Gideon entered the driver's seat and turned the van on. As he drove away, Judy bit her lip.

"I think...she took a blow or something to her stomach during her rescue." Nick said, and Judy looked at him in confusion.

"I don't think I understand." She said, frowning. Nick rubbed his stomach, then held his paws away in the form of a hump. "Oh."

"Yeah. So, my best guess is that the kit is either coming now, or something is going wrong with it due to the blow." He said, and Judy bit her lip.

"What made you come to that conclusion." She asked, and Nick looked at her in amusement.

"Look at your paws." He said, and Judy tilted her head. She raised her paws, staring in horror at the blood that coated them.

"This..this is fresh." She said, the horror she felt evident in her voice.

"That's right. That didn't come from her rescue mission." Nick said, and Judy clutched her paw to her chest as she stared at the receding tail lights of Gideon's van.

"Oh...god." She said, her eyes wide. She barely paid attention to the sounds of sirens in the distance, fast approaching.

 _Bunny Burrow Hospital_

Is stood outside the room the doctors had taken Lumi into around four or so hours ago. Gideon had left, thinking this a time for just them.

Minutes passed in relative silence, only broken by the sound of paws scuffling across the floor. He stared at his hind paws, attempting to count the individual hairs to try and pass the time. So far he'd gotten to five hundred and ninety one.

The sound of a door opening brought his attention to the room in front of him.

Lumi stepped from the room, the door slowly closing behind her. She had her arms wrapped around herself, as if trying to hold something.

She stepped to the side and leaned against the wall. She slid down it as an audible sob escaped her. Is immediately pushed away from the wall, rushing over to her.

"Lumi, what's wrong?" He asked, surprised by her sudden apparent breakdown. Sure, she was a mammal ruled by emotions, but she was usually stronger than this. She kept her face looking at the ground and on the inside of her knees as she answered.

"I...I wanted to call him Alekka. After my father." She said, making Is blink in confusion.

"Who?" Is asked, his worry making him momentarily forget just what her condition had been for the past four or so months.

Lumi gripped his paw, raising her head. The fur under her eyes was more damp than he'd ever seen it. And he'd seen her cry during their sixteen years of knowing each other. A _lot_.

"But...he took the brunt of the blow...so Aukusta...could live." She said, and she smiled, if only slightly, as realization dawned on Is what she meant.

"Lumi..." He trailed off, not really sure what to say.

"Well, technically he just happened to be positioned just right." She said, letting out a small, though obviously fake and sad, laugh.

They were silent for a while longer, Is sitting down next to her in a form of support. The occasional doctor or nurse would ask if they needed anything, but they just said they were fine.

"So, did they say how much longer it would last?" Is finally asked, gesturing to her stomach with a paw. Lumi smiled, glad to finally be asked that.

"Well..." She began, and Is tilted his head.

"What?" He asked, and Lumi extended her legs. Is blinked when he saw she had a small, almost hidden blanket in her paws. "Oh my god." He said, realizing what it was.

"They were surprised at how long it had lasted, obviously, when I told them how long Arctic Foxes were pregnant for normally. I told them me and the father suspected it was because they were hybrids, but that we weren't completely sure. When they asked what species the father was, I told them. Backwards runkata." She said, and Is stared at her at the insult.

"I can't say I ever expected to hear you call somebody that." Is said, chuckling more from surprise than actual amusement, though that was a small part of it.

"I can be grown up." She said, frowning when she realized she couldn't cross her arms due to the bundle that rested in them.

"Well I know that!" Is said, laughing for a few seconds.

"Not that kind of grown up." She said, and Is chuckled.

"I know. I'm just teasing." He said, patting her on the shoulder.

"Hopefully not. I just got done with the first one's results." She said, lifting the blanket slightly with an exaggerated huff.

"So...what's it look like?" He asked, his curiosity getting the best of him. Lumi let out a breath as she licked her lips, nibbling on one briefly.

"I...do not know." She answered, and Is blinked.

"You...didn't look?" He asked, arching an eyebrow.

"I wanted it to be a surprise. Plus, I know how you can be with adorable things." She said, Is flinching at that.

"How was I supposed to know that Finnick was an adult? Or that he had a bat?" He asked, crossing his arms.

"You could have asked." Lumi answered, and Is frowned.

"He was pretty adorable, though, you have to admit." Is said, earning a chuckle from Lumi.

"He was indeed. Though I wouldn't say that to his face. The look on your face when he started to cuss like a sailor was priceless, though." She said, and Is blushed in embarrassment. He had looked pretty horrified, he had to admit, but it was still a source of embarrassment.

"Yeah yeah, whatever. They clear you?" He asked, gesturing to the door to the room she had left.

"Yeah. Warned me not to do anything strenuous though." She said, and Is frowned.

"Helvette." He said playfully, getting a snort of amusement from Lumi.

"Maybe when this is being a little older, Is." She said, lifting the blanket as a form of gesturing to it.

"You know I don't mind waiting." He said, and Lumi glanced at him.

"Is, no offense, but you are being a Hare. I know what I signed up for when I started a relationship with you." She said, and Is frowned.

"Lumi, they make suppressants for a reason." He said, though they both knew he hated the little pills. They tasted bitter, and they only worked for a few hours.

"And I am knowing just how much of a pain it is to get you to take them sometimes. So, while it pains me to say it, I am able to accept not being your only buddy, just as long as I stay your only Mate." She said, and Is sighed in frustration.

"Lumi, I'm not going to go behind your back like that. Besides, I'm Predosexual and I don't think many Foxes would be willing to do it with a Hare." He argued, and Lumi growled. She hated arguing with Is, even when over something so simple.

"Is, I appreciate your morality, really. But we both know it isn't healthy to suppress yourself like that." She said, and Is gritted his teeth.

"We'll discuss this back at the camp, where nobody can listen in." He said, casting a glare at the four or so doctors that had stopped to see what they were arguing about. The doctors immediately set about fiddling with their clipboards, stethoscopes, and various other objects.

"Agreed." Lumi said, struggling to stand up. Is helped her, knowing she would likely be weakened by all she had went through in the last twenty four hours.

They checked out, Lumi keeping the bundle close to her, and exited the hospital.

"There you two are! I was wondering when you'd get released, Lumi!" Gideon said, his van parked a dozen or so feet away.

"I was thinking you'd have gone home by now." Is said, crossing his arms and looking up at Gideon when they approached.

"Well, I can't let you two go back to that miserable little place you call home!" Gideon exclaimed, and Lumi blinked.

"But-" She began, about to argue that she had knocked him out, but he held up a paw.

"Lumi, I understand why you did what you did. Judy and Nick explained your actions to me, and why. I can't say I ever expected them to be a part of that kinda thing, but life is full of surprises. So, while I don't condone what you do, I can't in good faith turn you away when you have a child to take care of." He said, leaning against the windowsill of his van. "Besides, now I don't have to explain to my customers why you get free pies without making something up. I'm starting to run out of ideas." He said with a chuckle, startling both Is and Lumi.

"Gideon, you do not have to be lying about mine and Is' relationship. You know we can protect ourselves." She said, though she knew he wouldn't need know just how _well_ they could do so, since he wouldn't know about what happened on her rescue mission for Is.

"Yeah, but to be honest Lumi, Bunny Burrow has numbers. And I _know_ you don't have the ammo to take all of them on." He said jokingly, and Lumi grimaced.

"Yeah, I used most of my stock when I rescued Is." She said, shrugging.

"Did you now?" Gideon asked, arching an eyebrow.

"A lot of the mammals that were there have either a third eye or a second mouth." She said, and Gideon visibly recoiled at the matter of fact way she said it, but only slightly.

"Huh. Remind me not to cross you." He said, no longer leaning against the windowsill and, in a comically slow way, raised the window. Before it closed completely, it stopped. "The back's unlocked. I made sure everything's secured." He added, and Lumi rolled her eyes.

"Is." Lumi said, gesturing to the back.

"Why do I have to sit in the back?" He asked, and Lumi stared at him in a way that very clearly showed she was not amused.

"You trust yourself with this?" She asked, gesturing to the bundle she held.

"...Fair enough." He said, walking to the back. He opened the back doors and hopped in, Lumi walking around the front of the vehicle and climbing into the passenger's seat.

"Let me guess. Is volunteered for the back." Gideon said with a knowing look, and Lumi grinned.

"You could say that." She said, looking at him with a small smile. At least he was still friendly after everything. "Oh, and if I have to remind you not to cross me, it is being already too late." She added, and Gideon just stared at the road at that.

The van was relatively silent, save for a few scuffles from the back of the van, presumably Is, for a few minutes as Gideon drove to what she assumed was where he lived.

"Does it get easy, after a while?" Gideon asked suddenly, his voice solemn.

"The only times I have taken a life have been in self defense, Gideon. But I suppose that makes it a little easier to get over, yes." She answered, looking down at her lap.

"What...made you join?" He asked, and Lumi sighed at the question.

"I am not knowing, Gideon. Maybe it was the prejudice. I just...do not know for sure." She said, her tone sad.

"From what I know, it sounds to me like you were trying to get an excuse to tell Is how you felt, but the situation and emotions would help you to play it off if it backfired." Gideon said, and Lumi whipped her head around to face him, the surprise evident.

"I...suppose that could be it." She admitted, though she was uneasy how he had deduced that in only two months when she had around six and was still unsure.

"So how long have you liked Is?" Gideon asked, Lumi biting her lip. "If you are okay with me asking, anyway." He hastily added, as if he realized she may not want to tell him after he had asked.

"I am not really sure, though I had to hazard a guess...I would say at least five years." She said, though shyly, as if she felt Gideon would judge her for that.

"Really? Try fifteen!" Gideon said, and Lumi blinked in surprise. "There was this sheep I liked back when I was nine. But, seeing as I was dealing with a lot of stuff back then, I ended up taking out a lot of things on her to make myself feel better. Scratched up Judy's face once when she tried to defend her." He said, and Lumi remained silent even though she wanted to say something, sensing he wasn't finished yet. "But, she has a family now. And I wouldn't feel right if I just showed up one day telling her how I felt. She already accepted my apology, and we are friends now, but I feel like that would be a little much." He finished, letting out a sad sigh.

"Well, I am being glad that she forgave you. You seem like a nice, caring mammal at heart, Gideon." Lumi said, and she could swear she saw Gideon blush at the comment, though she didn't say anything. It was likely just embarrassment at being complimented like that.

"I don't know..." He said, and Lumi rolled her eyes.

"Why can males never take a compliment from pretty females?" She asked herself, shaking her head.

"So how far away is your house again!?" Is shouted, banging on the metal space between the back and the cabin of the van.

"Hey! You damage my van and you're paying for it!" Gideon shouted, and Lumi heard what she thought was Is bang his head on the ceiling in surprise as Gideon glared at the space on the wall between him and her. "And it's just five more minutes." He added, looking ahead at the road once more.

"...Thanks." Is said, and Lumi let out a small chuckle.

It was indeed only five more minutes to Gideon's house. When they arrived, Lumi opened her door to hop down, and was surprised to find Is already there at her side, ready to support her if need be.

"We're still finishing that talk." Lumi said, earning a groan of annoyance from Is.

"Fine. I still don't think it's right, though." Is said, and Lumi felt a small smile form at how committed he was. She had discussed these things with Nick but had never been comfortable bringing them up. Until now. Having kits seemed to change your mindset on certain things, it seemed.

"Oh by the way, Judy and Nick helped me get all your stuff packed. I'll get it from the back, you two go on in. My bedroom is the closest one when you enter." Gideon said, and Lumi nodded gratefully.

"Furthest back?" Is asked, looking her in the eyes.

"Furthest back." She confirmed, smiling slightly. Something her and Is had in common was that, back in school, they had both preferred to sit in the back of class, away from everybody else. That seemed to be the same for their private life, preferring to have the room furthest from where the center of a crowd would be in the event of some friends coming over be their bedroom.

When they entered, they were pleasantly surprised by the amount of cooking utensils they could see in the kitchen, though not overly so. Gideon _did_ run a bakery, so it only made sense to have a lot of cooking utensils at home for practice. Even when one didn't need it.

They found the farthest room after only a few minutes of searching, and Lumi set down the bundle gently on the bed. She sat down on the bed, testing the level of give it offered. Another thing her and Is had in common was that they preferred beds with a lot of give. None of those stiff beds, please. Same went for pillows, which was why Is had started to use her as a pillow. Apparently, she was softer than the pillows they had when she had her winter coat.

Is joined her on the bed, both leaning against the other for comfort as Lumi brought the bundle back to herself, holding it close.

"So... _now_ can we look?" He asked, and Lumi laughed at his haste.

"I _suppose_." She said, rolling her eyes dramatically.

"Lumi, I'm sorry, but I want to see what my kit looks like." He said, though Lumi detected the fact he didn't seem particularly sorry.

"Hey, I am being curious too, Is. I am just worried about it." She said, staring at the bundle in uncertainty.

"Lumi, that is fine. I'm worried too. But, it's our kit. If we can't accept any of the kit's issues, we weren't fit to be parents." He said matter-of-factly, and Lumi smiled at that. Is was never afraid to point out bad choices that parents made, and she had always known that would work to his favor when he became one himself.

"You are being right, Is. As always." She said teasingly, knowing Is hated being called always right.

"Oh please, Lumi. We both know nobody is perfect. Especially both of us. We both have our issues, and that's just how we are. If we try to change who we are because society tells us it's wrong, then we aren't really being ourselves. We both agreed we wouldn't allow society to influence us when we started this, so I see no reason to change anything just because of this." He said, and Lumi smiled. They both knew she loved it when he sprouted life lessons. She loved his sense of morality, and he was careful to never abuse that even if it would help him with something.

"To imperfection." Lumi said, lifting an imaginary glass to where Is could reach. Is copied her.

"Clink." They both said, letting out small laughs at their own antics.

"Alright, time for the big reveal!" Is said cheerfully, and Lumi smiled. There weren't many things Lumi _didn't_ love about Is.

"Indeed." She agreed, setting the blanket down in front of them. She'd been careful to have the doctors wrap the kit up to where they wouldn't be able to see it, but to where it could still breathe easily.

"Oh my god!" Is squealed, staring at the small kit with wide eyes. "It's adorable!"

"And this is why I waited until we were in a private setting." Lumi said, her arms crossed as she stared at him. "Though I do agree." She added, gazing at the kit lovingly.

The kit was a light brown, with flecks of white spread throughout it's fur. It had a Fox muzzle and the ears of a Hare, with white stripes running horizontally down the ears from the top to about halfway down. It had a Fox's tail, and probably most obvious of it being a hybrid if somebody didn't see the ears, it had lapine hind paws.

"It's like the most adorable genetics of both our species combined." Is said, staring at the kit with wide eyes.

"It's definitely...more hybridized than I would have imagined." Lumi said, letting out a small chuckle.

"What did you say you wanted to call it again?" Is asked, looking at Lumi.

"I was thinking Aukusta, but I understand if you want a more...normal name." She said, and Is smiled.

"Aukusta is fine." Is said, smiling at her.

"Hey you two, you in here?" Gideon asked, opening the door casually. He laid eyes on the decidedly naked kit and stared in shock. Thankfully, the fur and legs hid any features, but he was still surprised. "Oh my..."

"Gideon, this is Aukusta." Lumi said, staring at him with a blank expression, though the faintest ghost of a smile played at her lips at his embarrassment.

"Could you, ah, maybe cover her up a little?" Gideon asked, his voice a bit higher pitched than normal.

"Oh sure, like you've never wondered what it looked like." Is said, rolling his eyes.

"Not on a kit! That's just wrong!" Gideon exclaimed, looking at the floor with wide eyes.

"Oh my god, fine." Lumi said, rolling her eyes dramatically as she flipped the blanket to cover all but the head of the kit.

"Thanks. But, as I wanted to say, I brought your gear in. It's in the living room when you want it." Gideon said, Is nodding in understanding.

"We'll be there in a moment. We need to finish a conversation first." Lumi said, and Is frowned.

"Okay. I gotta get my new batch to their respective delivery locations, but I'll be back soon." Gideon said, closing the door. It opened again after a moment. "Aukusta is adorable, by the way." He added, closing the door. The sound of receding pawfalls reached their ears, and Lumi let out a small chuckle.

"Do we really have to have this conversation?" Is asked, looking at Lumi sadly.

"Is, I understand your concerns. Foxes _are_ monogamous. How about this; if it is for a Contract, it is being fine?" She said, crossing her arms.

"Lumi, you know I can't accept that. I'm not going to cheat on you." Is said, crossing his arms defiantly.

"Is, I do not think it is cheating if the partner is okay with it." Lumi said, making Is huff in annoyance.

"I still don't like it." He said, and Lumi made to speak. "But! If it will shut you up about it, then fine. But only if it's for a Contract." He added, and Lumi let out a breath of relief. She wasn't actually comfortable doing this, but she knew well enough that while Bunnies, and Hares by extension, had many lovers, they only had one Mate. And in this lifestyle, it would likely be necessary at some point. So she wanted to get it off her chest before she couldn't.

"Thank you, Is." She said, looking at Aukusta with content.

"But, the same goes for you." He said, and Lumi whipped her gaze back to him in shock.

"Um...what?" She asked, not expecting that addition to the agreement.

"If I get to have certain freedoms with Contracts, then so do you. I think it's only fair." He said, and Lumi scoffed at him.

"Absolutely not, Is!" She exclaimed, shocked he would say that.

"If you hold me to those allowances, then I shall hold you to the same. It'll be for a Contract, and I've given my consent, so it's not like you're going behind my back." He said, and Lumi blinked as she realized she'd been played.

"You sly Hare." She said, grinning at him.

"Dumb Fox." He replied, smiling in a way that showed he didn't mean anything demeaning by it.

Silence reigned for a few minutes, both mammals either looking at the kit they now shared with equal amounts love and fear. Fear that the Templars would find out. Fear that they would use that knowledge to their advantage.

"She won't be able to grow up normally, you know." Lumi said sadly, gazing at the sleeping kit fondly.

"I know, Lumi. That's the only thing I don't like about this." Is answered, sighing.

"We will have to do the same thing my father did for me. And, while I appreciate my father for it, I don't want that for Aukusta." Lumi said, drawing her knees into herself, wrapping her arms around her legs and resting her jaw on her knees.

"Did...you ever tell him?" Is asked, and Lumi shook her head.

"I didn't know how he would take it, Is. I love you, but I don't know if I could handle disapproval from my father." She said, clenching her paws at the thought.

"So we go." Is said, and Lumi looked at him questioningly. "In a little while, when Aukusta can walk, we take her to see...Alekka, was it?" Is said, looking at Lumi with a head tilt.

"Yeah, Alekka." Lumi answered, smiling slightly at Is' idea.

"Well, then we go see him. If we have to wait for all this to be over, then we will." Is concluded, nodding to himself as he mentally went over the idea.

"I...am not sure he will last that long, Is." Lumi said, and Is blinked in surprise.

"What do you mean?" The Hare asked, tilting his head.

"He is getting old, Is. I do not know how much longer he has." She said, leaning back against the headrest of the bed.

"Surely he isn't _that_ old. You're only...like...thirty eight." Is said, arching an eyebrow in confusion.

"My father was already in his forties when I was born, Is. He and my mother wanted to make sure they had enough money stored for a kit to reach sixteen if they lost their jobs. My mother...didn't make it past a few years after I was born. So, in a way, I think that has influenced me waiting for so long to enter a relationship. I was worried something would go wrong, Is. So...that is being why I rushed into things when I told you how I felt. I feared if I didn't, I never would. A few years ago, my father had a heart attack. Doctors said that if he had another one..." She trailed off, looking at the ceiling. A paw rested on hers, and brought her attention to Is. He'd laid his paw on hers, a comforting smile on his lips.

"Then that's the first thing we do when we go back to Zootopia." He said, and Lumi smiled at him.

"You always know what to say to make me feel better." She said, resting her head on his, making his ears splay outwards.

"I shared a home with you for si-no, seventeen years now, Lumi, so I would hope so." Is said, chuckling at her actions.

"Still though, Is. You are just...perfect for me. You always know what to say or do when I am feeling down. You have always been there for me when I needed you. So, I was thinking, and I was wondering...if you would like to make this official." Lumi said, and Is blinked.

"Are you...asking me to..." He cleared his throat, a small but nervous smile slowly spreading across his muzzle. "Marry you?" He finished, laughing nervously.

"Well, it is not being necessary, but I just thought that you wou-" She was cut off by Is placing a finger over her lips, her surprise evident in her wrinkled brow a second later.

"Yes."

 **Boom! That is the end of Zootopian Assassins Chapter 16! I hope you guys liked this Chapter, because oh my god I loved it. I had a hard time coming up with a design for Aukusta, so I improvised. And yes, Lumi asking Is to marry her was one of the few things I actually planned to happen this Arc. The next four Chapters will skip around in time to use my one year per Arc rule, so be prepared for that. And just so you guys know, I was originally gonna have Kit!Alekka be the only child spawned from Lumi and Is, but I decided to make the Chapter a little less dark and more happy. I wanted to make this Arc start about Lumi coming to terms with what she did in Chapter 9, but as you can see that happened pretty quick. I promise that if I ever have Lumi get preggers again, I'll have it be a more realistic gestation period. And I do plan to make two more AU's for this AU, one for Lumi and Nick and one for Lumi and Gideon. Don't ask why, because I have no flippin clue. And yes, before you ask, I am going to have the Savage Lumi thing be used a few more times. I feel like Lumi would be one of those Foxes who, being the emotional Fox she is, would literally go Savage if she felt that Is was in mortal danger. And, last thing I swear, my friend on DA who got a commission for Alpha Team, which is Judy, Nick, and Danny, got permission for me to write a fanfic version of Inter Schminter! If you guys don't know what it is, go read it on DeviantART! The artist is called Spintherella and she is absolutely wonderful. Her style greatly improves from the first page to 12.6, which is where it's at now, and I highly recommend it for people who like WildeHopps. It's amazing. She also gave me permission to write a fanfic for the Night Rider ship, which is two characters in her comic. One is Nick Wilde, the other is an OC she created just for that comic. Sorry this AN is so long, but I hope you guys enjoyed this Chapter. Anyway, I think this is getting long enough as it is, so I'll see you guys...next update. Word Count: 5,796**


	18. Sven

**Hey guys Price here and welcome to Chapter 17 of Zootopian Assassins! I hope you guys enjoyed last Chapter and are looking forward to this Chapter, because jesus christ I have been. I apologize there was only one Contract this Arc, but I will make up for it with twice as many – meaning around six or so – next Arc. So look forward to that. I hope you guys are still interested in this story, because – and I don't mean to sound greedy or anything – but there aren't all that many Reviews or Comments or anything lately. I'm sorry if that comes across as greedy or anything, because that's not my intention. Just understand that Reviews, Comments, and PM's let me know what people think about this story. So I kinda depend on you guys leaving those things to know what I should edit or improve upon. They aren't necessary, but they are appreciated. Anyway, sorry to put that on you guys, but I think this is getting long enough so I think it's time to get...onto the story!**

"Yes." Is said, and Lumi's eyes watered in joy. "Yes, Lumi. Of course I'll marry you." He said, and Lumi felt tears of happiness begin to dampen the fur under her eyes.

"Rakastan sinua Is!" She said, wrapping the smaller Hare in an embrace.

"Love you too, Lumi." Is said, smiling as he relived everything that had brought them here. Lumi had almost been raped by a Wolf, she'd killed the Wolf, they'd confessed their feelings, mated, Lumi had apparently gotten pregnant from that, there had been a two month period of time where Lumi had pretty much wallowed in self pity, they decided to come to Bunny Burrow after Lumi was given a break by Nick and Judy, they'd mated again, then came here. After arriving, they'd decided to try the Hunt – an ancient Fox custom of trust between mates – and Lumi had taken rock salt to her shoulder after accidentally thinking a local as him, they'd gotten the wound checked out, and Lumi had told him she was pregnant. Then, as if that wasn't enough, he'd been kidnapped by Templars and Lumi had embarked on what could be best described as a Roaring Rampage of Revenge minus any actual roaring, she'd rescued him, then given birth to Aukusta – who was still sleeping in the blanket in front of them – and they'd come to Gideon's after he had more or less forced them to, though politely. And finally, Lumi had asked him to marry her, and he'd said yes. Not like he could really say no, anyway. He loved her too much to do that.

"So, what do you want to do with the remaining hour or so before Gideon gets back?" Lumi asked after a few minutes of silence, and Is frowned in thought.

"We could cuddle?" He tried, and Lumi grinned.

"Looks like father might just get a grandson after all." She said, leaning in for a kiss.

"Guess so." Was all Is got out before their muzzles met.

 _July seventh, 2017_

Lumi sat on the bed her and Is shared in Gideon's home, a small smile touching her muzzle as she read a book called _Erafawn_. It was a good book so far, though long. The first book in an _Inheritance Cycle_ anthology, it had some pretty good writing and characters for a book written by a teen when it was first made.

"Lumi, I'm back!" Is shouted, Lumi looking up from her book. She'd taken to reading to pass the time after an... _accident_ had occurred when she tried to train a week or so after Aukusta had been born. Needless to say, Gideon had adamantly refused to allow her to buy him a new tv, instead forcing her to rest. At least he hadn't been angry, which she would admit she was glad for. She'd seen him angry. It was not pleasant.

"In here!" Lumi shouted, flinching slightly when Aukusta rearranged herself where she slept at her side. She'd completely forgotten she was there.

The sound of pawsteps reached her ears, rapid in tempo and quickly approaching. The door opened quickly, and Lumi held up a paw as Is made to say something. She gestured to the sleeping Aukusta – who seemed to do that a lot, actually – and he flinched.

"Sorry." He whispered, stepping into the room quietly.

"It's fine. She's a heavy sleeper anyway. But we both know what happens when she gets woken up." Lumi said, and Is' eyes widened at the memory.

"Yeah...not fun." He said, staring at the sleeping kit with slight fear.

"Anyway, is there something you wanted to tell me?" Lumi asked, and Is visibly wrenched his gaze back to Lumi.

"Yeah, sorry. You know what today is, right?" He asked, and Lumi frowned in thought. She placed her book down, keeping it open but page down.

"It's July seventh, two thousand seventeen." She answered after a moment, and Is nodded.

"And do you know what number is associated with luck?" Is asked, and Lumi frowned at the question. Is was acting a little uncharacteristically excited about the date.

"Yeah, seven." She said, her curiosity peaked by Is' interest.

"And what is the Lapine Goddess of Luck?" Is asked, and Lumi blinked in sudden understanding.

"It's Serendipiday, isn't it?" She asked, and Is arched an eyebrow at her guess.

"It's Serendipiday." He answered, and Lumi grinned.

"Always wanted to see what that was about." She said, more or less shoving Is off the bed so she could stand.

"Once every seven, seven, seven is when it happens. And we were kinda busy back in oh seven, so we didn't get to celebrate it. But, now that we're here in Bunny Burrow, I figured we could go ahead and see it." Is said, picking himself up off the floor as Lumi opened the closet they shared.

"Seems like fun. Anybody we know going to be there?" Lumi asked, and frowned at the decidedly few choices she had in terms of clothing.

"Well, I know a certain someone's favorite violinist is going to be performing." Is said, and Lumi whirled around in surprise.

"Lindsey Stirlynx is going to be performing!?" She squealed, and Is blinked in surprise.

"I expected a reaction, but not something so...fangirl-y." He whispered, and Lumi's joyful expression turned into a glare that could probably make Chief Bogo hesitate.

"Have you _heard_ her music?" She said, and Is felt the sudden desire to be anywhere but under that glare.

"Yes. You fall asleep to it every time she releases something new. For a month." He said, and Lumi arched an eyebrow. She grumbled something about Gazelle and turned back to the closet, and Is chuckled quietly.

"It is not being too late to _actually_ eat your tongue, you know." Lumi said, her ear flicking towards him to show she had heard.

"But then you wouldn't get to hear me talk." Is said playfully, and Lumi playfully sagged.

"Yeah, you are being right. And I don't know what I would do if I couldn't hear your voice." She playfully teased, and Is laughed.

"Oh, we are so crazy." He said, and Lumi turned to look at him.

"Everybody is crazy, Is. It is being the different kinds of crazy we possess that make us different." She said, and Is rolled his eyes.

"Right. I'll just go take a shower now." He said, walking out.

"Best be careful, Is. I may be tempted to join you." She said, winking at him as he glanced at her.

"I wouldn't mind that, long as it's just to clean. Lindsey will be setting up within the hour, and she'll be taking requests from fans." He said, and Lumi perked up. She hastily grabbed some random clothes from their hangers and rushed after him.

They had never been so clean after an only ten minute shower.

Lumi stepped from the bathroom with her head fur still slightly damp, but it was going to be hot today so it'd dry on the way. She walked into the living room to put her shirt on, shaking her tail slightly.

As she pulled the shirt on, the sound of choking drew her attention to the kitchen. Gideon sat at the counter, a sandwich in his paws as he stared, eyes wide and mouth open. Lumi stared back, her eyes widening slowly.

"I-I'm sorry, Lumi!" He exclaimed, dropping the sandwich as his paws came up to his face in defense.

"Perverssi..." She said, and Gideon lowered his paws slightly.

"Uh, what?" He asked, and Lumi narrowed her eyes.

"Pervert." She said, and Gideon frowned.

"It was an accident!" He exclaimed, arms raised with palms up in an angry gesture.

"What was?" Is asked, walking into the room. He took in Lumi's slight blush and Gideon's still slightly shocked expression. "Gideon, what did you do?"

" _I_ was just sitting here, eating my sandwich, when Lumi just waltzes in without a shirt on! I did nothing!" Gideon explained, and Is arched an eyebrow. He turned to Lumi.

"You stared." She said, and Is looked back at Gideon.

"That's kinda what mammals do when they're shocked into silence!" Gideon shouted, and Lumi opened her muzzle to speak.

"You know, Gideon, me and Lumi actually have to go somewhere soon. Think you can watch Aukusta for us?" Is asked, and Lumi looked at him with a confused expression.

"...Will Lumi bite me if Aukusta is awake when you get back?" Gideon asked after a moment, and Lumi playfully snapped her jaws.

"Lumi, stop teasing poor Gid. But probably, if _you_ wake her up." He said, and Gideon gulped. "If she wakes up on her own, then you have nothing to worry about. But I'd worry more about what Aukusta would do than Lumi. She gets...cranky, if woken up." He said, and Gideon chuckled.

"She's a kit. Surely she can't be that bad." He said, and Lumi and Is exchanged glances.

"You willing to risk that?" Lumi asked, crossing her arms.

"...Considering who her parents are, no." Gideon answered, knowing full well the kit would be dangerous if her parents were any indication.

"Thought so. See you in a bit." Lumi said, walking past him. He followed her with his eyes, turning so as to keep an eye at her.

Is entered his line of sight, catching his attention. The Hare merely stared at him, and Gideon suddenly felt uncomfortable.

"...Yes?" Gideon asked, shifting in his chair awkwardly.

"Don't take this the wrong way, Gid, but you have some _serious_ UST." He said, and Gideon's eyes widened. "But, considering all the Vixens I'm aware of here are taken, I don't blame you." Is added, turning and walking out the door. Gideon watched him, his eyes wide in shock, as the Hare closed the door.

He stayed that way for a while, eventually turning back to the forgotten sandwich on the counter. With a glance towards the hallway, he finished it off.

Lumi walked with Is by her side, her ears perked up in excitement. She had _never_ seen Lindsey Stirlynx in person, and she was ecstatic. It was taking a lot of her self control to walk instead of run.

"So, do you think we'll get there in time?" Lumi asked, looking at Is. She had a few things she'd like to ask Lindsey if she could play, assuming she was actually taking requests.

"Oh yeah. It's not as far as you'd think." Is answered, and Lumi frowned.

"You would think there would be some kind of Zuber or something, for when mammals come by." Lumi said, frowning.

"Yeah, but it's pretty much the sticks, Lumi. Plus, there likely aren't enough tourists to warrant Zuber." Is replied, and Lumi huffed. "I think you've just gotten lazy, staying at Gideon's all day for the past few months." He added, smirking good-naturedly at her.

"Last I checked, I was the one equipped to handle Aukusta if she got hungry. So shush." Lumi retorted, crossing her arms in mock anger. They walked in silence for at least ten more minutes before Is let out a sigh, bringing Lumi's attention to him.

"You know, Lumi, I can't help but feel like we're doing something wrong." He said sadly, and Lumi felt confused.

"What are you meaning?" She asked, her throat letting out a small growl as she realized she was talking like she used to when she had first started using Common as her primary language.

"With Aukusta. I feel like we're doing something wrong with her. I don't know why, but something tell me we're doing something wrong and it's bugging me." He explained, and Lumi felt a frown cross her muzzle.

"Is, we are being first time parents. Of course we are going to make mistakes. We are not being perfect, and the more we try to be the more we mess up. We may make mistakes with her, but we will learn from those. That is being what mistakes are for, to learn from them. We do what we think is right, and we live with whatever consequences it brings." She said, and Is looked away.

"You are just a well of life lessons lately, Lumi." Is joked, and Lumi smiled at it despite their discussion. "But you're right, as you usually are with these things." He added, and Lumi felt a glow of pride in her chest at his praise. Even if it wasn't technically true, she still felt happy hearing him praise her.

"Well, I would not say I am _always_ being right with these things, but I appreciate it nonetheless, Is." She said, hearing the Hare scoff.

"Lumi, you're always the one to reassure me when I have doubts about these things. So I'd say you _are_ always right with these things." He argued, and Lumi smiled thankfully at him.

"Is, if you do not stop I will be tempted to take you right here and now." She said, and Is blushed at the admission.

"Lumi, we're in public." He said, and the Arctic Fox laughed at that.

"Do you see anybody around?" She asked, bending down to his level. She was right, there was nobody to be seen in any direction unless you counted them.

"It's still public." He said with a pouty expression, crossing his arms.

"True. That is being what makes it so alluring, though." She said, and Is felt his eyes widen further in embarrassment as his face seemed to skip the full blush phase and go straight to crimson colored.

"Lumi..." He whined, ducking his head into his shoulders slightly.

"Oh fine, I will wait until we get to the concert and can find a secluded place." She said, letting out an annoyed huff.

"Shouldn't we wait until we get back to Gid's house?" Is asked, and Lumi arched an eyebrow at him.

"You really want Gideon to hear us?" She asked, and Is imagined the scenario in his head. The poor Fox wouldn't be able to look them in the eyes for weeks.

"Fair enough." He said, shaking his head. "Box?"

"Box." Lumi confirmed, and Is groaned. Those green bathroom boxes were so flimsy he feared it would tip over. And he _really_ didn't want to get whatever questionable contents they housed on him. Nor in him. He suspected Lumi felt the same.

"Shouldn't we find a more sturdy place?" He asked, and the Arctic Fox groaned.

"You know a place?" She asked, and Is retreated into his thoughts as he sought an answer.

"We could find a truck with a high enough bottom." He said, and he noticed that Lumi's tail wagged a few times at that. "Or maybe a big enough truck bed." He added, and Lumi's tail wagged again, harder this time.

"That is being an...intriguing idea." She said, discreetly pulling at her shirt.

"Lumi, are you getting...you know, at the idea of connecting in public?" He asked, and Lumi hesitated for a moment. "Okay, maybe we should wait till we get back to Zootopia for that." He said, and Lumi's eyes widened at that.

"I...I am thinking I like that idea." She said, her jaw opening to pant briefly before she seemed to realize what she was doing. It shut with a _snap!_ and startled Is.

He remained silent for a while, thankful for the silence as he processed all the things he had just learned about Lumi. He had not been expecting those things to become known to him, and they made him just a tad bit nervous.

"I'm starting to think PDA's are gonna be a thing, huh?" He asked, and Lumi nodded.

"Oh yeah." Lumi said, and Is groaned. The tents came into view only a minute later, and Lumi felt that familiar urge to run. She was probably more excited than one should be, but it was Lindsey Stirlynx and she would not be ridiculed for loving such good music.

After about ten or so minutes, the few vehicles that were there came into view, and five minutes later they were walking around them. Is noticed that Lumi would repeatedly look at trucks, and he had to discreetly elbow her in the side more than once.

After two minutes, they entered the fair proper. Lumi earned the stares of a few Rabbits, but other than an accidental bump they arrived at the stage Lindsey would be performing at unmolested. They didn't notice the Ferret with the white patch on his shoulder, the fabric containing a rather familiar symbol on it, keeping an eye on them before turning and walking away.

Lumi was looking around, and thus didn't notice the mammal in front of her until it was too late.

She bumped into a mammal around her size, stumbling back as her gaze rested on the well trimmed fur of a Platinum Fox, her gold eyes meeting the bluish-purple of the Platinum Fox's.

"Oh! I am being sorry, I should watch where I am going." The Fox said, and Lumi blinked at the familiar phrasing with which she worded her sentence.

"Forgive me if I am being wrong, but...Finland, correct?" Lumi asked, and gestured to the Fox.

"Yes, that is being correct. You as well?" The Fox questioned, and Lumi nodded.

"Yeah. You must be...Riina, I believe is correct?" Lumi said, and the Platinum Fox blinked in surprise at her guess.

"Yes, that is correct. How did you know?" The Fox, who Lumi now knew was Riina Kettu, questioned, and Lumi noticed Is watching from a few steps away.

"I am being a friend of Bailey's sister, Judy." Lumi answered, and she saw a small flash of fear enter the Platinum Fox's eyes, though it quickly disappeared.

"Bailey told me that Judy was...not the mammal we thought she was. He would not explain any further, but that still worries me." She admitted, and Lumi frowned at that. So Bailey knew, then. Perfect.

"It is probably being something that is not really important, just unexpected." Lumi said, and the reassurance seemed to take root in the Fox's head, because she seemed to become relieved.

"I am hoping so." She said, then jumping as she seemed to realize something. "Oh! Forgive me, but I did not catch your name." Riina said, and Lumi felt a small smile at the Platinum Fox's embarrassment.

"Lumi. Lumi Keto." She said, and she saw Is' ear twitch in her direction. She had never told anybody her last name, so this was his first time hearing it in the almost seventeen years they'd known each other.

"Keto..." Riina trailed off, apparently memorizing the name. "So your parents named you Snow Meadow. Interesting." She said, smiling at the Arctic Fox.

"Are you being here to see Lindsey Stirlynx as well?" Lumi asked, noting the look of confusion on the Vulpine's face.

"Uh, who?" Riina asked, and Lumi felt her eyes widen. She managed to soak the small flame of anger in her lake of calm, and smiled despite the moment of anger she'd felt.

"She is being a violinist. Amazing music, and she can dance while playing. Have not seen many mammals who could do that." She answered, and Riina nodded in understanding. "I heard that she was taking requests earlier, so I wanted to get here before it was too late." She added, eyes flicking towards the stage.

"Oh! You must be wanting to go, then." Riina said, and Lumi hesitated. Would it seem rude to nod excitedly? Probably.

"Thank you. Feel free to talk to my mate, though. He is being right there." She said, pointing out Is. Riina let out a small huff of surprise.

"It would seem there are more than two of us." She said under her breath, though not quite quietly enough.

With a polite smile, Lumi walked away and towards the stage, eyes searching for the familiar fur pattern and height of the Lynx she was searching for. She'd memorized everything she could about the violinist which, thinking about it, seemed kinda weird.

She was quite surprised when she came to a table set up near the stage, a sign reading "requests" above it.

"Hello, here to make a request?" The mammal at the table asked, though they didn't look up.

"Roundtable Rival, The Phoenix, Crystallize, and Elements." Lumi said, and the mammal looked up in surprise.

"Those are some older songs. They your favorites?" The mammal asked, and Lumi nodded excitedly. "Mine too." The mammal said, smiling at Lumi. She wrote down the requests, and Lumi bowed politely before turning to find Is. "Oh, and could I get your name?" The mammal asked suddenly, startling her. She turned, smiling at the Lynx who seemed familiar, though she couldn't place it exactly.

"Lumi Keto." She answered, the Lynx nodding. She turned and walked away, intent on finding Is.

After only a minute of searching, mainly due to her nose, she found him talking to some Rabbit.

"So I was thinking...and I was wondering if you'd like to find somewhere a bit more private." The doe said, and Lumi felt a spark of anger at the implication. She made to interject when she saw Is looking at her over the doe's shoulder.

"Sorry, but I'm here with somebody." He said, moving to walk away. The doe grabbed his arm, halting his progress.

"We're Rabbits, you know. We don't mind sharing." The doe said, and Lumi felt a growl building.

"Well I do." She growled out, and the doe spun at the sound of her voice. The doe's large green eyes took in her imposing form. The crossed arms, the slightly peeled back lips, and the hard gaze she was being affixed with.

"Yeah. So if you could let me go..." Is said, the doe releasing his arm. He looked at Lumi, noticing the tensing of jaw muscles that preceded an opening. She snapped her jaws at the doe, who yelped and stumbled back.

"Run, little Rabbit." Lumi said in a predatory voice, and Is could practically _see_ the unsaid threat occurring before his eyes if the doe didn't listen.

The Bunny was gone before he had turned to see her reaction.

"Well that was-" Is was cut off by Lumi grabbing him, pulling him into a rough hug against herself.

"Mine." She said, squeezing for emphasis.

"Always." Is said, letting her have this moment. She tended to get possessive if she saw somebody flirting with him. He couldn't even count the number of times he'd stopped her from mauling some poor Bunny over the last five or so months.

The sound of a mic clearing made both of them wince, but drew their attention to the stage, where they saw a Lynx standing on it with a violin nestled securely against her shoulder.

"Alright, everybody! My first few performances are a bit older, but they were requested by somebody you don't expect to see here in Bunny Burrow! My thanks to Lumi Keto for suggesting them!" The Lynx shouted, and applause filled the air. Lumi blushed, not used to having so much attention cast on her. And to think, Judy and Nick put up with this whenever they solved a major crime, just on a much larger scale. She'd be sure to ask them for help on dealing with it, in the event it ever happened again. Or in case it did.

 _Begin song, Roundtable Rival by Lindsey Stirling_

As the first song began, Lumi glanced at Is. He conveyed boredom, though after sixteen years she had learned to pick up on the small things. He rarely could hide things from her, and when he did it was for a good reason and likely important he did so. Like why he had seemed to have a minor panic attack when they first met when she asked for his name, though she had dismissed it. He may have seemed bored at the present moment, but she could see the glee he held beneath the surface.

He was enjoying the festival, but not so much the fact he had to listen to more of her musical tastes.

"Come on, Is, have some fun!" She said teasingly, lightly hitting him on the shoulder. He looked up at her, evidently startled, and smiled at her.

"Long as you're enjoying yourself, I don't mind having to listen to her." He said, gesturing to the Lynx on stage, who had begun to perform fancy spins and dances as she performed. "Though I will admit...she is certainly impressive." He said, and Lumi's lips formed a line.

"I will be letting you have that compliment, because it is true." She said grudgingly, the event with the doe still fresh in her mind.

"Hey, you know I like only you, right?" He asked, making sure to word it so it didn't come off as rejecting despite the fact they were mates. He was still uncomfortable with public displays of affections.

"Hm, I am thinking I need to remind you why you _love_ me." She said, bending down to his level. A tap on her side made her turn, surprise evident when she found a Bunny staring at her.

"There a problem here, sir?" He asked, looking at Is.

"No, sorry. Just having a friendly talk with a...friend." He said, and Lumi frowned at that.

"Is..." She said, looking at him in annoyance.

"Okay, okay. Mate. Having a talk with my mate." He said, and the Rabbit at least had the decency to only look mildly surprised instead of disgusted.

"Well, make sure it stays kit friendly." The Bunny said, and Lumi scoffed in amusement.

"Yeah, like Is would be comfortable getting into an adult conversation in public." She said, hearing a noise of complaint escape the Hare.

"I understand, ma'am. Just wanted to make sure there wasn't any issues." The Bunny said, walking off with a polite nod.

"Well, at least he was understanding." Is muttered, frowning when Lumi didn't say anything. He looked up, surprised to find her staring at a Red Fox a few meters away. "Uh, Lumi? You okay?" He asked, moving in front of her.

"That Fox...he is watching us." She said, Is looking behind him at the Fox. He was indeed watching them, a blank expression on his muzzle.

"Cleanup." Is said, noting the way the Fox stood. He never showed his right shoulder to them, which meant he was hiding something.

"Likely." Lumi agreed, breaking her gaze away from the Fox. "They seem to be hiring a lot of Foxes for a mostly Prey organization though, if my rescue of you was any indication. I saw at least fifteen Foxes there, among the other Predators." She added, frowning.

 _End song, Roundtable Rival by Lindsey Stirling_

As the first song came to a close, Lumi felt a flash of annoyance that she'd been distracted from it for just about all of it. She let nothing distract her as Lindsey performed the three other songs she had requested, a small smile on her lips by the end of it.

"So...how was it?" Is asked as they walked away from the festival, content with how they had spent their time there.

"Fun. We'll have to come again next time. Bring Aukusta." She said, and Is chuckled.

"You mean if we're still alive." He said, and Lumi frowned at that.

"It is not being like you to be so fatalistic." She remarked, looking at her Hare with concern.

"Don't think that's Fatalism. And it's just because...well, look at what we do, Lumi." He said, looking around briefly, checking for any eavesdroppers. "We kill people, Lumi. It's only a matter of time until we run out of luck or skill. So I guess I'm just preparing for that day." He said, and Lumi looked away as she realized he was right. She wouldn't admit it, but he was right.

"I understand, Is. I suppose...that fact could have been another factor in my rushing of our relationship. It was never really _real_ , for me. It seemed like something that wouldn't happen. And then...I realized I had taken our new jobs into a fantasy land, I suppose. After the Wolf in the hospital, I realized that we could die any day. I grew complacent, Is. And in this world, complacent mammals are the first to die. I grew complacent, and I paid for it." She said, and it was Is' turn to frown.

"Lumi...you didn't _pay_ for anything. I'd grown complacent too, so if anything I was the one who paid. I was the one who took the most physical damage from that encounter." He argued, and Lumi smiled sadly.

"And I took the emotional damage." She said, and Is winced.

"Lumi..." He said, looking at her sadly.

"It is being fine, Is. I am fine now." She reassured him, smiling at him.

"I know, Lumi. I just don't like thinking about it." He said, and Lumi placed a paw on his shoulder.

"I know Is. I am sorry." She said, and Is smiled.

"So this is the duo who took down Sigma Team." Somebody said, and they both turned. They recognized the Fox who Lumi had spotted watching them, though they didn't recognize the Weasel next to him. What they _did_ know about the two were they had Templar insignias on their shoulders, and Lumi felt a growl build in her throat.

"Technically, it was just me." She said, stepping closer. She noted with satisfaction that the duo took a step back, the Weasel biting his lip nervously.

"Doesn't matter, Assassin. We're still taking you down." The Fox said, growling. "Though I may decide to have some fun, first." He said, smirking at Lumi.

"Jay..." The Weasel said, Lumi glancing at Is as he entered her line of sight. The flash of light in his paws signaled that he had his Razor Garrote ready for use.

"Enough talk. You wanna try? Go ahead." He said, and she started in surprise as she realized his voice had dropped a full two octaves.

"Robbie? Get the Bunny." The Fox said, the Weasel dashing towards Is. With a flash of movement, Is dodged and wrapped the Garrote around his throat, pulling on it and decapitating the Weasel.

"I'm a Hare." He said, the Weasel's body crumpling to the ground only a foot from Lumi. She stared in surprise as the Fox looked around, clearly not having expected Is to so easily dispatch his friend.

"I don't care what you are, you're still gonna die!" The Fox shouted, suddenly dashing forward with a knife in his paws, Lumi not sure where the blade had come from.

"No. I'm not." Is said, dodging a swipe with ease, leaning away from the blade. He did this again for a few times, the frustration on the Fox's muzzle becoming more and more pronounced with each dodge.

"Come here!" The Fox shouted, reaching out to grab Is. The Hare leaned to the side, dodging the paw. He grabbed it, then pulled. The Fox, already overextended from his attempted grab, stumbled forward. Is dashed around the Fox, wrapping his Razor Garrote around the Fox's waist. When he was behind the Fox, he kicked it. The Fox fell forward in two pieces, his paws twitching for a few moments before stopping.

Lumi stared, her mouth open, as the bodies cooled. Is looked her in the eyes, placing the Razor Garrote in it's pouch.

"You okay?" He asked, and she started.

"Yeah. Sorry, just surprised. Let's go, Is." She said, a look of confusion coming across Is' muzzle.

"Who?" He asked, Lumi pausing at the question.

"Is, this isn't funny. Let's go." She said, Is shaking his head.

"Is? My name's Sven."

 **Boom! Another cliffhanger for you guys! I know how much you guys love those. Anywho, I hope you guys enjoyed Chapter 17 of Zootopian Assassins, because I had fun writing it! Especially the little tidbit with Lindsey Stirling, whose four listed songs I absolutely** ** _love._** **Seriously, they're amazing. And yes, I did just do that with Is. It is not going to be a one-off thing that happens, either. Chapter 19 will likely end with them going back to Zootopia, and Chapter 20 will likely be their visit to see Lumi's father. That means I have to prepare for writing some feels, because this is not supposed to be a happy Arc. I know it's been relatively lighthearted a few times, and I apologize for that. This was supposed to be a dark Arc, dealing with emotional turmoil and depression, but it ended up not being that. I may upload an alternate version of the Turmoil Arc when I finish this story, just to show you guys what I had in mind. And no, Lumi is not supposed to be a happy character, and Chapter 20 will fix some of the happiness I've given her. Look forward to that. Anyway, this Author's Note is long enough, I'll see you guys...next update. Word Count: 5,843**


	19. Aftershocks

**Hey guys Price here and welcome to Chapter 18 of Zootopian Assassins! I hoped you guys looked forward to this installment, because you're getting it anyway. I hope you guys liked last Chapter, because – once again – I loved writing it.** ** _Especially_** **the segment with the one and only Lindsey Stirling. I seriously love those four songs Lumi requested. And yes, I** ** _will_** **explain the whole thing with Is and Sven this Chapter. Though don't expect anything fancy, since it's kinda really simple. Though I will enjoy writing about how it affects the relationship between Lumi and Is. So yeah, look forward to that, I suppose. Also, changing how I go about POV changes in this Chapter onwards. Just gonna skip three lines instead of how I used to. Though time skips will remain the same. Anyway, this is getting long enough, I think it's time to get...onto the story!**

"Is? My name's Sven." The Hare said, and Lumi blinked.

"S-Sven?" She said, blinking in surprise.

"Yeah. You're..." He trailed off, appearing to rack his brain. "Lumi Keto, I think." He said, Lumi actually taking a small step back.

"You...you can remember my name?" She asked, confusion evident.

"No. Just...came to me. Like it was important." He said, and Lumi felt a small spark of anger at that.

"Of course it's important! We-" She choked off her reply, shaking her head. She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath to calm herself.

"Is everything okay, Lumi?" He asked, stepping forward. She held up a paw, stopping his advance.

"Don't. Just... _you_ don't get to act like you know me. You aren't...you aren't...et ole minun perämies!" She shouted, the Hare taking a step back in surprise.

"What?" He asked, his confusion obvious. Lumi growled low in her throat, her anger more aimed at the fact Is had kept _this_ from her than actually at the Hare himself.

"You heard me. And until he is back, do not bother coming back home." She said, turning away from the shocked Hare. She walked away, her arms crossed as she tried to keep herself from breaking down.

"What...just happened?" The Hare asked himself, brow furrowing as he tried to process what had occurred. The last thing he remembered was being cornered by a few Preds in Tundra Town, before he'd blacked out. Now he was... _somewhere_ and he had an emotional Fox who he just so happened to really want to chase down and ask her what was going on, and why she had called him Ice.

A sudden, intense pain in his head made him cry out, dropping to his knees as he clutched his head, tears of pain falling to the ground.

Memories from a life not his own came rushing in, and a select few stood out. Him...entering a relationship with Lumi. The next few months of silent grief and emotional outbursts over something she did. Coming here...to Bunny Burrow. Yeah, that was it. Lumi telling him she was pregnant...being captured by Templars. Lumi rescuing him...no survivors. Her giving birth to their daughter Aukusta, the adorable little hybrid she was. And then...they had come here, where they saw Lindsey Stirlynx perform live.

All that and more suddenly filled his head, leaving him speechless as he tried to process everything. Sixteen years...gone. Just... _gone_. He'd been living a life through another's eyes. Another's emotions. Another's actions. Another's _everything_.

With a shout of anger, he punched the tent next to him. Of course, being a tent and everything, the wall just crumpled around his fist, the tightly spread fabric offering some resistance. With a huff of annoyance, he glanced at the two mammals he had killed before walking away in the same direction of the Fox. He needed answers.

Lumi entered the house she and Is had been sharing with Gideon, who technically and legally owned the building, and pushed past the Red Fox when he tried to ask her what was wrong. She entered the room she and Is had claimed for themselves, climbing into the bed and sitting against the headrest with her knees drawn into her chest, arms wrapped around them and head resting in the space between her knees and chest.

A few moments later, a knock at her door sounded. She looked up, sniffing the air to discern who it was.

"Go away, Gid!" She shouted, waiting for a few moments.

"Not until you tell me what's wrong, Lumi." Gideon said, and Lumi sighed.

"Gid...I am not being in the mood right now." She said, frowning in contempt when the door opened. Gideon stepped in, a small – though awkward – smile on his muzzle.

"Good. Neither am I." He said, and Lumi rolled her eyes.

"Hey Gid?" She began, the Red Fox arching an eyebrow in answer. "Stick to baking puns. Sexual humor is unbecoming of you." She finished, the Red Fox chuckling.

"What, like that thing I told you about the French breads?" He asked, and Lumi laughed at that.

"Yeah. That one." She confirmed, and Gideon – in what he would later call trying to lighten the oppressive mood he could feel coming from her – struck a pose.

"Draw me like one of your French breads." He said dramatically, and Lumi laughed loudly.

"I swear that is funnier than it probably should be." She said, smiling despite the mood she'd recently been in.

"Anything to keep you yourself." Gideon said, both of them freezing. "Well, not _anything_ , but...you know. I'll tell whatever jokes I need to to make sure you stay happy." He hurriedly explained, and Lumi snorted in amusement. "I know it may seem rude, but I've been trying my paws at 'Furlock Scans' and I thought I'd see what I could glean from you." He said, and Lumi felt just a small sliver of fear at the admission. She squelched it quickly though, knowing he didn't mean anything hostile by it.

"Never would have taken you of all mammals for a fan of Furlock." She said, chuckling.

"It was on one day, and I was bored." He said as way of explanation, waving his paw. "Anyway, I tried it, and while I'm probably gonna sound mean or something, I wanted to tell you what I thought of you from it." He said, and Lumi nodded her consent. "Okay. So, I knew you from Finland from the start, and I did a little digging. You sound like you could be from up near the Northern regions of the country, maybe Arctic Circle regions." He paused, as if thinking. "Finland does have parts in the Arctic Circle, right?" He asked, looking unsure.

"Yes." She answered, dipping her head.

"Okay. So maybe Arctic Circle regions. Small town, I'm guessing. Either single parent or something similar, judging from how much you stress being there for Aukusta. Judging from your familiarity with firearms, I'm guessing you started shooting at around...ten, maybe. Maybe something happens along the road, and you need to come here for some reason. Parent died or you just wanted to come here, thinking it'll be just like your own home, with maybe a few differences. Only, uh oh, you're a Fox in a prejudiced city. Get accosted by police, maybe. They let you go, and you start exploring. Then, one day, you meet Is. You two strike up a friendship, both being alone and having nowhere to go probably, and you decide to stick together. You eventually develop a crush on him, but you're scared of how he and others react. So you keep it bottled up, knowing he may never reciprocate your feelings but able to stand just being a friend. Until, one day, you find out he might be seeing somebody and you feel like your world breaks. So you leave, maybe meet somebody who talks you down from doing something you'll regret. Maybe just helping you understand your feelings, get a grip on them. You reconcile with Is, he explains it's a big misunderstanding, and you feel like the stupidest mammal alive for a short while. Then, you meet Nick and Judy one day. You get recruited, and nothing happens for a short while. Then, they come here and go back to Zootopia after a few days. Something happens, and you confess to Is. You find out he feels the same, and you begin a relationship. You come here after a while, thinking you'll take a small break during the quiet in the city. You find out you're pregnant, and Is gets captured. You rescue him, and something happens that makes the kit come. You give birth to Aukusta, and I invite you to live with me. Then all this happens." He finished, gesturing to Lumi. She suddenly felt very, very small.

"Uh, how much practice did you say you've had?" She asked nervously, Gideon pausing.

"Actually, you're my first real and serious attempt." He admitted, and Lumi blinked.

"You would make a pretty good interrogator." She said, her eyes wide.

"Nah, too much fuss." Gideon said, shaking his head. "So...how'd I do?" He asked, and Lumi flinched slightly.

"You were...pretty much right." She said, looking away from the Red Fox. She managed to catch his happy expression, though that quickly fell as he realized he was less than tactful about it.

"Ah, Lumi I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking." He apologized, and Lumi felt a small smile at his obvious regret break her muzzle.

"It is fine, Gideon. That is being the point of a Furlock Scan, no? To make the other mammal uncomfortable? You do not need to worry about it." She said, smiling reassuringly.

"Still though, it wasn't my right." He said, and Lumi huffed in annoyance.

"Gideon...you do not have to apologize for everything. It is being okay when you absolutely are in the wrong, but you will get nowhere without at least some backbone." She said, and the Red Fox flinched.

"That's what got me into this mess in the first place. Having too much." He said, and Lumi felt her face wipe of any emotion in her surprise, save for her eyes widening a little bit.

"Bullying is not having too much backbone, Gideon. It is lying about the little you have to make yourself feel better. Mammals think that being brave is about charging headlong into conflict without fear. Some think it is being able to push down others to get what you want. The first is just stupidity. The second is a form of bullying. True courage, and as such, true bravery, is being able to look your challenges in the eye and solve them without conflict. It takes a courageous mammal to turn their back on a conflict involving them, because it shows they have better control than the other. I know I am less than a star example, considering my rescue of Is, but I am telling you this because I know it from experience. Good mammals look up to those who don't _need_ conflict to solve their problems. Good mammals are able to turn their back to conflict with confidence, knowing they have made a difficult choice. It is in our nature as Predators to fight back, Gideon. The world pushes us without mercy. And when some push back, the world points and cries Evil." She said, and the Red Fox looked away at her sad tone.

"That sounds...like experience." Gideon said, chancing a look at the Arctic Fox.

"Finland is a marvelously understanding and diverse country, Gideon. So it was a bit of a shock when I came here the first time." She said, shaking her head. "But yes, I do have some experience with that last bit. There is being an ancient Latin adage that I have tried to live by for the longest while. Sic vis pacem, para bellum." She added, Gideon arching an eyebrow in surprise.

"If you want peace, prepare for war." He said, Lumi's head darting back in surprise. Unfortunately, that resulted in her banging her head against the headboard.

"Ow." She muttered, rubbing her head. "But I am surprised you know it, Gideon." She admitted, and the Red Fox flashed a smile.

"Baking is only _one_ of my hobbies. Studying Latin proverbs and the like is another." He said, smiling at Lumi in a friendly way.

"Can not say I blame you, Gideon. Ancient Latin speakers certainly knew how to give good life advice." Lumi said, chuckling.

"That they did." Gideon agreed, leaning his head back as he thought over something unknown to Lumi. "So, if it isn't too much to ask, what did I get wrong?" He asked, and Lumi tilted her head in momentary confusion. When she realized what he meant, she frowned.

"Not really a lot. Mainly the age I started shooting at – which is eleven, by the way – and the part about why I came here. Father got shot in the shoulder, had to amputate the arm. Otherwise it would just get in the way. We had the money to come here and get him into some kind of helping home, but that was really it. He wasn't comfortable with it, but he knew I was ready to live in the world. Took me four years to convince him to spend what money we had on coming here. Though I do want to know how you guessed about me thinking Is was seeing somebody before I confessed." She answered, and Gideon shrugged.

"Eh, just a guess really. Mainly formed by how you look at other Rabbits when they get friendly with him, even just in a platonic sense. You're protective, though not overly so, when around others. From the little experience I have in romance – which is mainly from movies and books, mind you – that is usually bred from either heartbreak or the mammal having a previous other." Gideon said with a shrug, and Lumi scoffed.

"Sounds like quite an extensive library you have."

Sven stood outside the room Lumi and Gideon sat in, back against the wall as he listened into their conversation. He'd meant to simply walk in and ask for answers, but the 'Furlock Scan' as they had called it made him hesitate.

He had more knowledge of Lumi at least, but that didn't really help with his confusion.

"Sixteen years, you know." He said, the sound of two sharp intakes of breath coming from the room "Sixteen years of my life...gone in what feels like an instant. I black out, a lonely Hare in Tundra Town, and wake in here in Bunny Burrow, mated to a Fox who also has bared a kit of mine. So please do forgive me if I seem to freak out a little."

"Is..." He heard Lumi say, and he winced.

"Is...so that is what he begun to call himself. Certainly fitting, considering your own name, I suppose. He is...what you might call my good side. But he has his flaws, certainly. Nobody is perfect, after all. He's too nice, for example. He can be...drastic, when he needs to be, but he prefers to solve conflict with words if possible. Perfect Blue to your Red, actually, if what I seem to remember of your rescue is correct. So much carnage...so much blood. So many _bodies_." His fist clenched at that, though the two Foxes couldn't see it. "All for more time with your mate. Noble, but also selfish. Probably why he likes you so much. Normally he never fights for control, so consider yourself lucky he cares enough." He added, and the sound of pawsteps approaching made him realize he had probably gone a little too far. His calm and calculating exterior melted when his gaze locked onto the angry one of the Arctic Fox his other self had chosen, true fear lashing through his body for the first time in a long while.

"You think you know what we had, Sven. You pretend to understand because you fear the unknown. Do I consider myself lucky? Hell no. But I am loved. And that is enough for me. I did what I had to do to get my mate back, you bastard. I offered them an _out_. A chance to surrender. They chose to _fight_ me. I fought back with everything I had. So if you want to do something about it, I am being right here." She said, staring the Hare down. He held her gaze for only a moment before he looked away, though his paws did clench.

"You're right. I do fear the unknown. Any smart mammal would, really. But...I don't seem to have made many smart choices lately. Why start now?" He said, turning to look at Lumi. They stared at each other for a moment before their muzzles suddenly but surprisingly naturally crashed against each other, soft noises escaping both of them. Gideon silently exited the room, a small smile dancing at his muzzle. They found themselves quickly tangled in a rush of movement, though neither really cared much.

Gideon sat in the living room of his house, content to leave Lumi and...Sven, she had called him, to their own devices. Aukusta lay sleeping a few feet away, and he repeatedly found himself staring at her as she slept. Not in some creepy attraction sort of way, but more of a strong sense of protectiveness. He'd been charged with watching over her, and he wasn't about to shirk his duty despite technically being fulfilled. Her parents were back, at least in body, so he should have been clear to do as he pleased, but he found himself unable to really concentrate unless he stayed within a certain distance of the sleeping hybrid. It was both a little disturbing but also strangely right to him, and that confused him more than anything.

The sound of a door opening distracted him, and he visibly tore his gaze away from the hybrid to look at the Hare who had entered – or rather exited – the room.

"So...MPD?" He asked, looking at the Hare in slight amusement.

"Something like that. Though Is seems to be more of an actual mammal than a split personality, from what little I know." Sven answered, and Gideon looked back at Aukusta.

"He is, really. He has a family, and those that love him. You're taking those things from him, you know. Though her previous actions may not seem to convey it, Lumi wants her mate back. I'm not the best at reading mammals, that was always Nick's specialty actually, but that much is obvious." He said, and Sven sat down on the couch, thankfully fully clothed.

"You care for her, down't you." He said, gesturing to the sleeping hybrid.

"I wouldn't say that, really. But Lumi asked me to watch her until her parents got back from that Serendipiday festival. So far only one has returned, and I intend to do what I was charged with until it is complete." He said, and the Hare visibly flinched at his words. "So feel free to call it whatever, but to me it'll just be me doing my job."  
"It isn't easy, you know. Just switching back and forth, It...alters the personality to some degree. Not really noticeable usually, but alters nonetheless. So I hope you can understand my reluctance to go back. I want Lumi to be happy, something I never thought I'd say about a Fox, and I...I suppose I fear she won't be satisfied with whatever changes switching back will bring." Sven admitted, though his gaze rested on some random tile on the floor, a sigh escaping him.

"She's a lot more understanding than she may seem, Sven. I'm sure if you explain it to her, she'll be fine with it. I admittedly find it funny you worry about whether or not she'll be comfortable with whatever small changes will occur when Is couldn't care less about what mammals thought about his and Lumi's relationship." Gideon said, and the Hare chuckled.

"Honestly, Lumi scares me. Not because she's a Predator, but just because of what she can do to me if she decides I'm a threat. I know she won't just go Savage, but I – or rather I remember what Is saw – what she did to the mammals during her rescue of him. So...I guess I just fear that I'll do something to make her hate me, and she'll decide I'm a threat to her. Is would break if he found out that happened while I was in control. He would just...give up. One of the few things I both hate him for and admire about him is his ability to connect with his emotions. I have the same emotions he does, but he's so much better at using and noticing them. He is able to immediately know what he feels in a moment, where it takes me at least an hour to fully decipher my own emotions." He said sadly, and Gideon arched an eyebrow in amusement.

"Didn't sound like you had any trouble a while ago." Gideon remarked, chuckling when Sven let out a small choking noise at the statement, his ears remaining erect and pink.

"That..." His voice fell from the anger fueled one to a defeated one in a matter of seconds. "That just felt right at the moment." He explained, his gaze dropping from Gideon's to rest on Aukusta with a sad smile.

"That's because you knew what you were doing, Sven. It may not seem like it, but your body knows what it wants, even when your mind is confused. Same applies when reversed. You're still the same Hare you were a few hours ago, just with a completely different personality." Gideon said, and Sven rolled his eyes.

"Doesn't sound like the same Hare to me." Sven retorted, and Gideon snorted.

"Of course it doesn't. You see yourself and Is as two separate entities when, in reality, you _are_ the same. It may not seem like it, but you two are just two parts of the same mind, separated by some kind of trauma." Gideon said, and Sven sighed.

"How do you – a small podunk bakery chef – know so much about psychology?" He asked, and Gideon made a small noise of annoyance.

"Podunk is in Deerbrooke county. And I had a therapist growing up, so I learned some things." He answered, and Sven chuckled at that.

"Ah, right. How could I forget?" He sarcastically asked, and Gideon tilted his head in thought after a moment of silence.

"I know it must be hard, Sven, but...I think that Lumi needs Is right now. She's shaken, and she needs some kid of comfort in her life at the moment. She needs a familiar piece right now." He said, and Sven sighed again.

"I know that, Gideon, really. I just...god, it sounds horrible to say it, but I just got back. I'm...not ready to go back just yet." He said, leaning back against the rather comfy sofa.

"I understand, Sven. Just...think about it." He said, and the Hare gave him what he would probably call the scariest look he'd ever received from a member of the Lapine family.

"What do you think I've been doing, Gideon!? That's _all_ I've thought about for the last two hours, and I just can't come up with a solution that benefits everybody!" Sven shouted, and Gideon immediately looked back at Aukusta to make sure she was still asleep. Seeing she was, he let out a breath of relief. He stood slowly, looking the Hare in the eyes and crossing his arms for a moment.

"Let's go outside. I'd rather not wake your kit." He said, and Sven let out the closest thing to an actual growl he could. His muzzle opened to speak, though he seemed to think twice, and he closed it with a huff. He followed Gideon as he walked out into the front yard, the Fox biting his lip in thought. "So what'd you want to say?" He asked, and Sven looked away in shame.

"I wanted to retort that she wasn't _my_ kit, but I know Lumi's awake and I didn't want to have her hear that. Plus I know she _is_ , at least biologically, and I just couldn't bring myself to say it, even in anger." He said, and Gideon blinked in surprise.

"You know, I never did understand why mammals say that when there's no other mammal that the father could be." He said, and Sven shrugged.

"Mammals like to preach responsibility, though they often ignore their own advice. They do something – or someone – and pretend that nothing happened and the resulting responsibilities aren't their own. I'm not going to do that, Gideon. Even if my memory is shaky at best, I'm not going to leave just because I feel like I'm a different mammal than who fathered Aukusta." He said, and Gideon smiled at that. The European Hare was proving he had a strong sense of duty and respect for others, and he liked those traits in a mammal. The sound of a door opening caught their attention, looking back towards the house to see Lumi standing in the doorway. She stepped out, closing the door behind her as she looked up at the sky..

"Her name holds a pretty significant importance to me, you know." She said, the other two mammals tilting their heads in confusion.

"Who, Aukusta?" Sven asked, and Lumi nodded in confirmation.

"Why?" Gideon asked, curious about it.

"You will find out soon." She answered, Sven and Gideon glancing at each other. She turned to the Hare, a sad smile touching her muzzle. "You do not have to consider yourself her father if you do not wish to." She said, the Hare visibly recoiling as if struck by the statement.

"Lumi, I'm not going to do that! It's wrong and despicable and I wo-" the Hare was cut off by Lumi pressing their muzzles together, Gideon taking a few steps back.

"That is being Is enough for me." She said when they broke apart, smiling warmly at the confused Hare. "He always puts others first, and you are no different." She explained, and Gideon interjected at the mischievous look in her eyes.

"All right, let's go inside. I don't want to explain to any cops that could come by why there's a Hare and Fox rutting in my yard." He said, shooing them off with mock annoyance. He entered behind them, only sparing them a glance as they moved towards their room. With a small chuckle, he sat down and kept an eye over their sleeping daughter. He still had a job to do.

Lumi sat up with a small groan, her entire body protesting in the only way it could. It hurt. Badly.

"Sven?" She asked, looking around when she realized the Hare wasn't in the bed. She groaned again in annoyance, having intended to either sleep the day away or have some fun until she couldn't move. They'd yet to get that far, but she was determined, and hell hath no fury like a Fox on a mission. Or an angry Judy Hopps. That was also something to fear.

When she received no answer, she walked to the door, intending to go out and look for her mate. It was only when she felt a shiver run through her that she realized she was still very much not clothed. She changed, letting out small groans as she stretched her sore body.

She exited her room, shambling down the hall to the kitchen. When she entered the living room, she was quite surprised to see Sven and Gideon sitting on the couch, both refusing to look at the other for some reason. She noticed the Gideon's paw would occasionally rest on his muzzle, and she rolled her eyes.

"Gid scared me." Sven said, though his voice was a little different than she remembered from yesterday. Gideon looked up at his statement, his gaze resting on Lumi.

"He was just standing in the hallway. I was just checking on him to make sure he was okay. Now I have a muzzle that feels like it got hit with a sledgehammer." Gideon explained, and Lumi chuckled.

"One of these days you are going to learn to not bother us when we're either asleep or doing something with complete concentration." She said, shaking her head in amusement.

"Yeah, probably." He said, lips forming a line as he thought over something. "Oh! By the way, a certain somebody woke up." He added, glancing at Sven. She tilted her head as the Hare stood with an annoyed eye roll.

"Is Larsson, at your service." He said with a bow, and Lumi let out a shaky breath as her eyes widened in shock. After a moment of staring, she blinked and ran forward, tackling the smaller Hare to the ground. "Ow. It's great to be back too, Lumi." He said with a small chuckle, petting her head as she sobbed quietly into his chest, relief the dominant reason.

Gideon watched them with a small smile, glad that Is was back, at least for now. After a moment, Is seemed to grow uncomfortable with the floor and attempted to sit up. Lumi adjusted her legs so she was now straddling his lap as he sat up, tears still falling as she tried to laugh in joy. She failed, though the intention was clear.

"I...I have missed you." She managed to get out, and Is smiled reassuringly at her.

"Well, I don't plan on going back any time soon." He said, pulling Lumi close in an embrace as she let herself release all her pent up emotions.

"I...I was being so scared that you would not come back because of how long you had control, and...and..." She trailed off, already close to being spent on tears.

"I love you, Lumi. I gave control up yesterday so I could protect you." He said, and she blinked at his second sentence.

"I can protect myself." She said indignantly, a pout forming. "I am loving you too though."

"I know you can protect yourself in a fight. I didn't mean that, though." He said, tapping his head.

"Oh..." She said, feeling her happy emotions begin to be replaced by less than safe ones.

"Sorry I made you worry." He said, grabbing her attention with a small and sudden groan that he failed to fully stifle.

"Hm. It would seem more than just Is is awake." She remarked with a grin, and Is blushed.

"Hey! None of that on the carpet! Do you know how long it takes to clean that out?" Gideon suddenly said, startling both of them. Lumi raised an eyebrow as she looked at the Fox, her curiosity peaked.

"Uh...how do you?" Is asked, making Gideon freeze as he realized what he'd said.

"Um...I don't have to answer that." He said, crossing his arms pointedly and looking away. The action made him look like one of those arrogant snobs you would occasionally see on cartoons or kids movies, though it did cause Lumi and is to chuckle.

"Big baby." Lumi said, rolling her eyes and standing. Is followed her as she turned, catching a tail flick to the face for his troubles. He sputtered, shaking his head.

"Ugh. I do not like hair in my mouth, and she knows that!" He exclaimed, shaking his head and following her. Gideon merely chuckled and went back to watching Aukusta, an amused grin on his muzzle. He blinked when his blue eyes met wide open and curious sea green eyes, the hybrid tilting their head in their examination.

"Huh. Don't think I've seen your eyes before." He said quietly, turning away to call for Lumi and Is. The sound of a whimper brought his attention back to the hybrid, an eyebrow arched. The hybrid's face was slightly scrunched like she was about to cry, though it went back to normal when he turned back around. "Oh dear..." He said, almost silently, as he realized what was happening.

"Hey Gid, I leave my...oh god." Is said, his eyes wide as he realized Aukusta was awake. "Lumi!" He called, the sound of pawsteps reaching their ears. Lumi came into the room, a curious expression on her muzzle until she saw what they were staring at.

"Well...at least she's awake again. I swear she sleeps a little too much." Lumi said, and Is had to agree. She slept almost half a day on a bad day, though he suspected – and hoped – it just had to do with the mixing of species in her biology. Still a little worrisome, though.

"We should probably have it checked out when we go back." Is said, and Lumi nodded.

"Agreed. It is being...worrisome, I think is the word." Lumi said, creasing her brow in thought.

"Eighteen years and you still need help with some of the words..." Is said, shaking his head in amusement.

"Nineteen." Lumi said, looking at the Hare affectionately. "It is being twenty seventeen, remember?"

"Oh, right." Is said, scoffing.

"How do you forget the year?" Gideon asked, looking at the Hare in a confused manner.

"Can we please get back to the topic at hand!?" Is said, gesturing to where Aukusta lay. The three mammals turned back to the hybrid, who was still staring at them in curiosity.

"...Am I allowed to call her cute? It doesn't sound weird, does it?" Gideon asked, looking at them hopefully.

"I don't...think it's weird. She _is_ cute." Is said, moving to stand by Aukusta as he looked her over. He knew she was visibly healthy, but he liked to do an examination every so often just to be sure.

"You worry it sounds weird when it could be specially insensitive?" Lumi asked with an arched eyebrow, an amused chuckle escaping her.

"Well, you're her parents. I didn't want to come off...like that." He explained, Lumi grinning mischievously at that.

"Better off than on." She said, Is looking at her in annoyance.

"Have you been watching The End of Efurgelion again?" Is asked, Lumi shrugging.

"Maybe..." She said, crossing her arms.

"Uh...do I want to know?" Gideon asked, both mammals rounding on him quickly.

"No!" They both answered, looking at each other in surprise.

"Seems talking isn't the only thing we can do at the same time." Lumi remarked, earning a gag from Gideon.

"Okay, that's gross to think about. I need to go clear my head." The pudgy Fox said, leaving Is and Lumi to stare at Aukusta.

"...What do you think she wants?" Is asked, looking at his mate.

"I honestly have no clue. Maybe she needs changed?" She tried, and Is groaned.

"Oh god..."

 **Alright! That does it for Chapter 18 of Zootopian Assassins! Sorry to end it like that, but I think it's fairly obvious I was starting to run out of ways to end it and not make it any more cringe inducing. So I hope you guys like the story so far, and I promise it'll pick up in the action department when Arc 3 comes around. A few Associates will probably be introduced, as well as some of the plot in the Templar scheme which I just realized I haven't even introduced yet. I could probably extend the story to around ten Arcs to make it more like Assassin's Creed games, but that's a hundred Chapters and I feel like fifty is already a bit much. I'll probably write a short two or three Chapter sequel that focuses on a few characters after Arc 5 and what happens at the end of that. Yay. Anyway, this is getting long enough, so I'll see you guys...next update. Word Count: 6,091**


	20. Another Failed Hunt

**Hey guys Price here and welcome to Chapter 19 of Zootopian Assassins! This Chapter is gonna skip to a few months after last Chapter to better fit the timeline I wanted to make. I wanted it to be a month per Chapter, but I realized quickly that that wouldn't work because I tend to find a good ending before I can resolve any minor plot points in a Chapter they were introduced in. Plus I like cliffhangers sometimes. So yeah, it was July last two Chapters, so it'll be around November this Chapter. Next Chapter will be Lumi taking Is and Aukusta to meet her father, Alekka, so look forward to that. The significance of Aukusta's name will be revealed then, too. Also, I kinda rail on the new Power Rangers shows in this Chapter, but I honestly feel and think the things I have characters say or think. Anyway, this AN is getting long enough, I think it's time to get...onto the story!**

Is sat in front of the television with his and Lumi's daughter Aukusta, watching one of the newer Power Rangers series. He didn't really like the newer ones, but Aukusta seemed to and it was his turn to watch her for the day.

The sound of the front door opening made both him and Aukusta turn around, Lumi entering the living room. She paused at the sight of them, then saw what they had been watching.

"I thought you said Ninja Steel was not very good." Lumi remarked, and Is crossed his arms as he turned back away.

"Ninja Storm is better." He remarked, earning a chuckle from Lumi.

"Agreed. But Gideon doesn't have a VHS and you don't have the series with you. So you are being stuck with whatever is on now." She said, and Is rolled his eyes. The sound of a confused sound from Lumi made him turn, only to find Aukusta at eye level. He blinked, confusion making his brow furrow, until he realized she wasn't that tall sitting down. He looked down, surprise making his eyes widen as he took in the sight of her standing.

"Oh my god." He breathed out, looking up at Lumi in wonder. She had her phone out, and he presumed she was either taking an unhealthy amount of pictures or a video. Probably the second, since she preferred to do that when using the camera app.

"Oh my god this is perfect." Lumi said, her eyes lighting up with an energy he hadn't seen in a long while.

"Gideon is going to flip..."

Gideon wiped his hands on his apron, hearing the final customer exit out the door.

The next thirty minutes was spent making sure everything in the bakery's kitchen was in it's proper place and clean. Satisfied, he placed the apron he wore on it's proper rack and entered the main room of the building. He made sure everything behind the counter was in place, and locked the door behind him as he left.

When he arrived home, he looked around quickly. If anything had been learnt during Lumi and Is' stay with him, it was that they had enemies that wouldn't hesitate to do unimaginable things to him for information. Seeing the coast was clear, he opened the door. He paused as the sound of excited squealing assaulted his ears, unsure how to proceed.

Lumi entered his view, panting and eyes wide in excitement.

"She's standing!" She squealed, dashing back to wherever she had been before he had entered. With a curious expression on his face he followed, stopping when he saw Is and Aukusta staring at each other.

"Didn't think kits stood for a year or two after their birth." He remarked, earning two sets of eyes to turn to him, Lumi continuing to stare with glee. It would seem the little hybrid was just full of surprises.

And then she fell onto her tail.

Three sets of eyes practically drilled holes into her skull as they awaited a reaction with bated breath, though the hybrid simply looked annoyed at the sudden loss of height.

With a small squeak of annoyance, Aukusta turned back to the tv show she had been watching.

"Wonder what that was about." Lumi said, looking at Gideon with confusion.

"No clue, though I think it could be she's just confused. She instinctively knows you and Is are her parents, though her kit brain probably thinks that I am, what with the fact we're both Foxes." Gideon said, and Is arched an eyebrow.

"Is it normal for a mammal to feel jealous at the thought of their kit thinking somebody else is their father?" Is asked, earning a chuckle from Lumi.

"I am being sure it is, Is." She said, walking over and sitting down on the other side of Aukusta from him. "You go and do you. I'll sit through this for a little while. Besides, I haven't seen many of the new ones." She said, resting her head in her palms, elbows on her knees as she watched the show.

"Most of the new ones suck compared to the old ones. They were campy, but that was what made them great. The new ones take themselves too seriously and barely have any jokes." The Hare retorted, rolling his eyes at the exaggerated flips some of the red shirt enemies did when hit.

"...Okay yeah I see why you don't like the new ones." Lumi said after a moment of rapt attention to the screen, her face dropping as she realized just how bad the show was.

"Told you." Is said, walking away with a satisfied smile. He entered their shared bedroom and flopped onto the bed, a soft sigh escaping him at how comfy it was. "Oh yes..." He moaned out, smiling in contentment as he got comfortable. His eyes rolled into the back of his head as he found the perfect position, and he closed his eyes and let sleep take him.

A few hours later found him slowly sitting up, rubbing his eyes as he looked around. He slowly moved to the edge of the bed, opting to flop to the floor instead of go through the complex motions swinging his legs up and over would entail.

Apparently, the thud was louder than he thought, because only a moment later the door opened, a concerned looking Lumi taking up most of his line of sight as he looked up at her.

"What are you even doing?" She asked, looking more annoyed than worried now.

"I opted for the easiest path." He answered, head falling to the floor again. "I'll get up in a moment."

"I thought you woke up easily." She remarked, Is grumbling something she couldn't make out.

"Normally, yeah. Right now, I just feel like being really lazy. Excuse me while I crawl to the living room." He said, attempting to use his shoulders to drag himself along the floor. Lumi watched with an amused smile, stepping out of his way.

"That is looking more like an offensively bad attempt at slithering." She said as he passed her, watching his retreating form with an arched eyebrow. He was strangely effective at the style of movement, which made her question what he did as hobbies when she wasn't around.

"It works, at least." Is retorted, Lumi rolling her eyes. With a swish of her tail, she began to walk after him. Within a few steps she caught up to him, bending over and picking him up.

"That is being painful to watch." She said by way of explanation, Is merely letting out a small groan of annoyance at being interrupted in his movements.

She entered the living room, setting him down on the floor. He raised his head, letting out a sad groan as he saw the tv.

"Oh my god why is Ninja Steel still on?" He asked, Gideon turning from where he sat in front of it.

"Please tell me the acting isn't this bad in all the series'." He more or less begged, Is letting out a small chuckle.

"Nah, older ones had _way_ better actors. Well...as good as can be expected anyway. But definitely better." Is answered, finally deciding to sit up. He plopped down next to Aukusta, who looked at him briefly before returning her attention to the tv.

He wasn't sure how many episodes passed until he felt something small and warm lean against his side, making him look down in an attempt to find out what the object was. When he laid eyes on a sleeping Aukusta, he smiled warmly.

"Seems even she gets tired of it after so long." Gideon said, letting out a relieved sigh and he carefully and silently stood. "Not sure how many more villains of the episode I could take." He added with a good natured huff, smiling slightly at the sleeping hybrid before turning off the tv.

"So...how do we move her?" Is whispered to Lumi, who was sitting on the couch a few feet away. His question earned an eyebrow arch and an amused grin.

"Move her? Whatever do you mean, my mate?" She asked, and Is blinked.

"Say what?" He asked, staring at Lumi.

"Well, she just fell asleep. You really want to risk waking her up?" She asked, chuckling as his face fell at the realization that he was stuck there until Aukusta either woke up or was deeply asleep enough to risk being moved.

"Oh great." He remarked under his breath, watching Lumi get up from the couch and head towards their bedroom.

"Although, if you can manage to move her without waking her...I have a surprise for you." She said suggestively, reminding Is that it was now approaching winter time. His face fell further at the second realization, knowing full well what winter time did to Lumi.

"You're scary, you know that?" He asked, arching an eyebrow.

"Yep!" Lumi answered, flicking her tail as she disappeared into their room. Is shook his head in amusement, chuckling at Lumi's antics. For her tendency to sprout either really depressing lines or lines that made for good life advice – sometimes both – she had a sense of humor that was often times difficult to detect unless one knew her well. But when it was detectable, it was _hilarious_. Usually.

"Didn't realize winter time could change a Vixen's personality so drastically." Gideon remarked, startling Is who hadn't realized he was still in the room.

"Well, last winter she wasn't this bad due to...personal reasons. I think this is her first winter where she's able to just let loose." Is said nervously, still finding it weird to talk about these kinds of things so freely. Sure it was easy when he was in the mood, but it still felt weird even then, just less so.

"Huh. I'll have to keep that in mind." Gideon said, earning an arched eyebrow from Is. "Er, not like that. I just meant for future reference, if I ever meet a Vixen I like." He explained, Is chuckling.

"I know that, Gid. I was just surprised, is all." Is said, finding it amusing how Gideon was so careful not to come off as attracted to Lumi out of respect. Any male Fox into Vixens would find her attractive, so it wasn't like it was a bad thing. He was grateful nonetheless, though he knew it was probably hard for the male Fox.

"Well, I'm glad you understand." Gideon said, moving to stand up and leave.

"Listen, Gid. I just want to say...I'm grateful for you letting us sty with you after everything we've done. After what you know we've done. We've caused you a lot of grief, I'm sure, and I'm sorry if we've caused any hostilities with you and customers who know about us." Is said, Gideon smiling warmly at Is.

"Lumi's done more than you have, Is. And I know she's a good mammal, but bad experiences can make good mammals do bad things. She just wanted to get you back, Is. I can hardly blame her for that. Besides, I like her." Gideon said, his eyes widening as he realized what he said. "Not like that! I meant that I like her per-" Is held up a paw, stopping Gideon in his tracks.

"You do realize you're allowed to be attracted to her, right? As long as you don't do anything to act on those, we're fine. Besides, any Todd into Vixens would find her attractive. So, I repeat, as long as you don't do anything to act on your attractions, we will have no bad blood." He said, and Gideon looked away in shame.

"I understand that, Is. It just...doesn't feel _right._ " He explained, and Is blinked.

"...Wanna hold Aukusta?" He asked, hoping to end the conversation. He really didn't like talking about these kinds of things, even if they were important.

"Yes!" Gideon more or less shouted, paws covering his muzzle in surprise as he realized how loud he had been. When he realized he had answered a little too quickly, he cleared his throat awkwardly. "I mean, yes please." He said, and Is had to chuckle at how he became so excited at the idea.

"Down boy." He joked, making Gideon grin sheepishly.

"I'm sorry, Is. It's just...she's so cute." He said, and Is chuckled again as he carefully handed the sleeping hybrid to the Todd, standing up with audible cracks coming from his legs and back as he stretched. "Sweet Marian." He heard Gideon exclaim quietly, likely at how much he popped.

"You should hear me after a few hours of sitting in a recliner and keeping my head facing straight, also not moving my back." Is said, saluting the disturbed looking Fox with a two digit wave, turning and jogging towards the room he and Lumi shared. When he entered, he quickly realized what Lumi had in mind as her surprise when he suddenly found a pair of jaws wrapped around his throat from behind, the pressure just enough to be known.

He quickly reached up and separated her jaws from his neck, spinning around to face her.

"Hey." She said, grinning at him hungrily.

"Hey. So we're doing the Hunt, I see." He remarked, Lumi nodding at his statement.

"Seeing as our last attempt was so rudely interrupted-"

"By a possible Sociopath with a shotgun full of rock salt."

"I thought that now would be a good time to try it again." She finished, only seeming slightly annoyed by his interruption.

"Sounds like fun. Let's go." Is said, turning around to exit the room.

"Well, I was thinking, and I was wondering...do you really want to do this?" Lumi asked, her tone nervous now.

"Why would I think I don't?" Is asked, eyebrows furrowed in confusion at the question.

"It is just...you always work so hard to please me, Is. I am being worried you do not think about if you want to do it and only if _I_ want it, and make a decision based on that." She said, and Is' gaze fell.

"Lumi...of course I want it. This is important to me, but I know it's also important to you. _That's_ what makes it important to me, Lumi. I...I can't be happy unless you are, and this is an important sign of trust with Foxes. You know I would do anything to make you happy – within reason, of course – and that requires me to do things I wouldn't _normally_ do. Like that time you convinced me to eat that sushi, even though it had been alive only minutes before." He said, shrugging like it wasn't a big deal.

"Is, you practically begged me to let you try it. I had to keep my foot placed against your chest so you wouldn't leap across the table for more when you discovered you liked it. I hardly convinced you to try it." She said, making Is arch an eyebrow.

"If I recall, I begged you to let me try it because of how many times you said it was so much better than my cooking. So in a way, you _did_ convince me to try it." He fired back, crossing his arms with a smirk on his face.

"I said it was much better than your attempt at proper sushi. How do you grow up in an almost Predator only town and not learn how to cook meat, fish especially?" She asked, and Is frowned.

"I...didn't have many friends. Growing up in a mostly Predator town isn't as fun as it sounds when your family is the only group of Hares in the populace." Is said, looking away sadly. Lumi's face fell at his tone, not realizing it was a sore subject for her mate. "Add in my MPD, and that's just a recipe for disaster." He added, shrugging and letting out a sad sigh.

"I...I am being sorry, Is. I did not realize it was being a sore subject." Lumi said, her mood deflated by their conversation.

"Ah, it is in the past. It is fine." He said, though Lumi did catch the fact he began to talk like her in terms of wording.

"If you are being sure..." She trailed off, biting her lip nervously.

"Absolutely! Now, still want to do the Hunt?" He asked, and Lumi nodded. "Great! I will let Gideon know we will be gone for a short time, but we should be back in a few hours." He said, dashing from the room and leaving a deeply dissatisfied Lumi. She hated when he dodged subjects, and he knew that. But she also knew he only did it if it wasn't something he wanted to dredge up.

With a sad sigh, Lumi followed her mate out the door, smiling reassuringly at Gideon as she passed him, the Fox having caught her slightly dejected looking expression for a moment.

Before she exited the building, she paused at the kitchen counter while reaching for her Walther. She hesitated a moment, then shook her head and walked out the door.

"Three, two, one..." Gideon muttered under his breath, the sound of the door opening making him chuckle softly. He glanced over his shoulder in time to see Lumi holster the sleek looking sidearm on her hip before the door closed.

Lumi followed Is as he walked with purpose towards the tree line, only glancing briefly back at Gideon's home before a sharp intake of breath from her mate caught her attention.

"Aj! Helvete!" He swore, lifting his foot up and peering at the underside.

"What happened?" Lumi asked, by his side in an instant.

"Just a sharp rock, is all. It's fine." He answered, smiling reassuringly at her and placing his foot down.

"Alright, but if it becomes a problem we are taking you to the hospital. I am taking no chances." She said, and Is nodded his agreement.

"Can never be too careful, my mate. At least I don't have to worry about you stopping in your caring about me." He said, chuckling as he began to walk again.

"Never." She said, rubbing his head between his ears affectionately.

"No!" He exclaimed, dragging out the word with a playful groan. He playfully swatted at her paws, laying the fur in the space down flat with a playful glare.

"Aw, you usually love it when I do that." She said, grinning at him teasingly.

"Yeah, but I don't feel like fixing it later." He explained, lightly swatting a paw away when she attempted to sneak it behind him.

Over a mile away, a mammal – prone against the ground – watched the Fox and Hare through the scope of the Bearrett M82A1 pressed against their shoulder firmly, the magazine to the side and chamber emptied. This was a recon and assessment mission only, so he wouldn't need to fire any shots. With one last look at the duo, he wrote down their descriptions on a notebook to his right to a T. Every smudge of color, no matter how small, was written out in detail. Their exact height was also measured, and then their length from muzzle tip to tail tip was guessed from that. When he was done, he glanced over the words briefly before looking back at the duo to confirm everything was jotted down. He grinned when he saw it was.

"Perfect."

Lumi entered the woods with Is at her side, a small smile playing at her lips at the thought of what they were about to do.

"So...do we stay clothed until I'm caught, or what?" Is asked, looking up at her in curiosity.

"Yes. Now run along, I need to get into ready for a Hunt." She said, and Is nodded. He dashed off, looking for a good hiding spot to use.

Only moments later, he had found a small patch of wild garlic that would suit his needs. After suitably leaving his scent behind, he walked up to the nearest tree. With a small grunt of approval, he backed up a few steps, then dashed forward and leapt. He pulled himself up and began to climb.

When he was securely in place, he nestled into his hiding spot in an effort to get comfortable.

He didn't have to wait long before something happened.

The report of a gunshot sounded off, startling him at how loud it was from what he assumed was a good distance away. What made him decide to begin his descent down, however, was the panicked yelping of a Fox almost immediately afterwards.

It didn't take him long to reach the location of the gunshot, Lumi staring off into space as she leaned against the tree.

"Lumi, what's wrong?" He asked, snapping the Fox from her thoughts.

"Oh, nothing Is. I just must have accidentally turned off the safety. It startled me is all." Lumi explained, shaking her head. "Though my paw is a little hurt from the recoil, since I didn't brace it. Stovepipe as well." She added, gesturing to the Walther which lay on the ground a few feet away.

"...Huh?" Is asked, not understanding what a Stovepipe was or how it affected the gun.

"Casing got caught by the slide." She answered, Is bending over to get a closer look at the gun. He carefully flipped it over, seeing that a casing had indeed gotten caught by the slide.

"So that's what a Stovepipe is." He said, reaching for the casing.

"Rack the slide." Lumi said, Is looking at his mate who was now shaking her wrist. "Hold the grip securely, and pull back on the piece holding the spent casing." She said, and he hesitantly picked up the gun. "Preferably keep the dangerous end pointed away from me." Lumi remarked, bringing his attention to the Walther's barrel. He turned it slightly to where it wasn't pointing at his mate, then pulled on the slide. When it didn't budge, he frowned.

"Uh...how many pounds of force does this require?" He asked, looking at Lumi.

"Try pushing on the grip when you pull." She advised, Is groaning and raising the sidearm again. With as much force as he could muster, he did as he was asked. The slide puled back, and the spent casing fell to the ground.

"Hey I did it." He said, letting go of the slide in his surprise. Lumi flinched when he did, though he ignored it in favor of handing the gun to her. She probably just didn't like the way he did it, or something similar.

"Thanks." She said, taking the gun and holstering it. "You can go and hide again, now. Sorry to scare you." She said, smiling reassuringly at him.

"Are you sure? I mean, you looked a little rattled when I found you." He said, Lumi opening her muzzle to speak. She hesitated, and he felt worry begin to take root.

"Michael." She finally said, and Is tilted his head in surprise.

"Michael..." He trailed off, hoping Lumi would explain further.

"That was his name." She said, and that only confused Is further.

"Who's name, Lumi?" He asked, stepping closer.

"The...the Wolf. From the hospital." She said, and Is blinked.

"Lumi..." He trailed off, not sure what to say. However, his worried gaze slowly transformed into an angry one, and Lumi already knew why. He hated her thinking about that event. "Lumi..." It was obvious he was struggling not to come off as harsh, but she appreciated it nonetheless. "Why do you continue to torture yourself with that?" He asked, making Lumi hesitate. She had expected some kind of explosion of anger, not...this.

"It...it is being difficult to explain. I...I find myself thinking about it randomly and without reason, and I am scared. I know that one of the cures for PTSD is to relive the moment again and again, but it is not being that. I am not certain if it is my mind trying to rationalize what I did or what, but I decided I would do a little digging. See if it would alleviate some of the baggage. Judy told me his name was Michael, but that was it. Would not tell me if he had any family or anything. It...has helped. A little. But it is not being _enough_." She said, and Is suddenly found himself enveloping her in a reassuring embrace, Lumi crumpled against him as she fought back a complete and total mental breakdown.

Her quiet sobs suddenly stopped, followed by a confused whine.

"Lumi?" Is asked, unsure of what had happened. His mate growled lowly, making him freeze.

"We are being watched. Eight meters to the West. Unknown species." She whispered, and he felt her paw move. He suddenly found himself flying through the air as Lumi drew her Colt. The sound of the report was deafening at such a distance to his sensitive ears, and he barely registered the sound of shattering glass and twisting metal before his back hit a tree.

His eyesight came back into focus just in time for him to see Lumi dash off in the direction she had fired, Is struggling to get up to help her. By the time he had managed to get his feet under him, Lumi was back with the arm of a mammal twisted behind them in a rather painful looking position and her Colt pressed to their head. The scene – while serious – still drew a chuckle from Is when he saw the mammal was hunched over, if only slightly, so Lumi could effectively do what she was doing. A mask similar to Nick's also covered the mammal's face, and a hood hid any ears with which to identify him.

"Hey! I said I'd answer your questions without protest!" The mammal exclaimed when Lumi pressed the barrel harder.

"I know. Why are you watching us?" She said, though she didn't remove her gun or let his arm go.

"Because you interest me." The mammal answered, and Is shook his head to clear what fogginess remained in his vision. Lumi growled, pressing the barrel of her Colt against the mammal's head harder.

"Who sent you?" She asked, her tone making it obvious she didn't feel like playing any games.

"Nobody. I came of my own accord. Not often you see a Fox and a Bunny couple." The mammal answered, and Is let his head hang with an annoyed groan. "Sorry, an Arctic Fox and a Hare. Better?"

"Please don't get smart with us. We just want to enjoy our break from our lives in the city as much as possible." Is said, looking up at the mammal.

"Ah, right. Forgot to mention it, but I _suppose_ you could say me being interested in you has a personal reason." The mammal said, making Lumi practically put a hole in the mammal's head just by pressing the barrel to it. "Hey! Could you please not?"

"Why are you so personally interested in us, then?" Is asked, waving his paw at Lumi. She hesitated for a moment, then let out an annoyed growl and pulled the gun away, letting go of the mammal's arm as well as she holstered the Colt.

"Well, I know it's a sore subject for a certain one of you, but it's because of my brother." The mammal answered, standing up. It was only when the mammal pulled the hood back and the mask away, with Lumi's breath hitching and eyes widening behind the mammal, that Is saw he was a Wolf. Who also happened to bare a striking resemblance to another certain Wolf from their life.

"Michael." Lumi said, the certainty in her voice only outmatched by the regret that accompanied it.

"Yeah. And don't worry about apologizing. I didn't really like him anyway. Too..." The Wolf trailed off, trying to find the right way to word his sentence.

"Rape-y?" Is tried, and both Lumi and the mystery Wolf flinched.

"Yeah. I guess that works. Though I would have preferred to be less crass about it." The Wolf said, turning his head slightly towards Lumi.

"No sense in beating around the bush." Is said, shrugging. Lumi sighed and walked past the Wolf, coming to stand by Is before turning to face him.

"Well, if you are not being here for revenge, then why are you watching us?" She asked, crossing her arms pointedly.

"I told you. You interest me." The Wolf answered, shrugging nonchalantly like Lumi _hadn't_ been about to perform brain surgery with a forty five caliber pistol on him.

"Look, I really do not feel like being lead in a vocal circle today, so please just answer fully." Lumi said, her tone impatient as she glared at the Wolf.

"I am. Besides, you should be grateful I'm so interested. What if you need help and none of your friends are around to provide the necessary assistance?" The Wolf retorted, and Lumi clenched her paw.

"Fine. You want to watch us, we aren't responsible for anything you see." Is said before Lumi could physically lash out, already knowing her shortened temper was a result of the likely-coming breakdown.

"Fine by me. She broke my scope anyway." He said, pointing at Lumi before replacing the mask and hood and turning away, walking into the forest. He paused before he fully disappeared, looking at them over his shoulder. "You ever need me, don't hesitate to ring." He said, the glint of metal being the only warning before a Throwing Card sailed towards them, barely passing between Is' ears and embedding into the tree behind him with a satisfying _thunk!_

"Well that's one way to give somebody contact info." Is remarked, turning and pulling the card free and pocketing it.

"So I suppose we could try this again tomorrow." Lumi said with an annoyed sigh, and Is nodded. Neither felt like trying to do the Hunt after all this.

"Sorry it had to get ruined. Again." Is said, sighing and shaking his head.

"It is being fine, Is. That was important." Lumi said, and Is looked at her.

"No it isn't, Lumi. He could have at least waited. And I highly doubt he had to get close enough to be detected anyway. He _wanted_ us to know he was there." Is said, and Lumi nodded.

"I know. Nothing to be done about it, though." She said, beginning to walk away in the direction of the road. Is followed her, his mood slightly dampened by what had occurred.

"It just...it just seems so wrong. You _did_ act in self defense, Lumi. I know you don't think so for whatever reason, but you did. He doesn't blame you, and you did what you had to do." He said, ad Lumi looked away sadly.

"He...Michael...he was ready to submit. He had a Balisong in his shoulder and he was submissive. I could have just called for help, but I didn't. He posed no threat any more, and I still pulled the trigger. I...it's _different_ when you take a life, the feelings you get when you know you are justified versus when you know you are not. I was in the wrong, Is. I could have aimed for his shoulder, his leg, _anything_ other than his head that wouldn't kill him. But I deliberately pulled the trigger and took him from whatever family he had that still cared about him. No matter how you look at it, Is, I _murdered_ somebody. That does not just go away. You do not just get over it. It haunts you, Is. Forever." Is had no idea what to say to that, and he remained silent all the way to Gideon's house.

The Wolf sat in the room of the hotel he had been staying in for the last few days, going over everything he had gathered. Everything he had on the Fox and Hare was written out in perfect detail, and that was how he wanted it. He could stand to acquire more, but the amount he had currently was perfectly acceptable.

His phone began to ring, bringing his attention from the destroyed rifle scope he was currently attempting to remove from the sight railing on his rifle. He set the rifle to the side with an annoyed huff and picked up the device, checking who it was before placing it against his ear.

"Yello?" He asked, hearing an annoyed groan from the other end.

"Sie wissen über den Mentor?" The mammal on the other side asked, and the Wolf sighed.

"Nein. Speak in Common, though. You know I'm not very good with German yet." He said, the mammal sighing.

"Fine. Better?" They asked, the Wolf chuckling.

"Much. Now, what are we going to do about our problem?" He asked, the other mammal remaining silent.

"We have a modern day Al-" The call suddenly ended, the beginning of an explosion reaching the Wolf before the line cut, however, and he grimaced. The German Brotherhood had been found. Now he had a different problem to worry about: he was stuck here with no way of getting help or reinforcements.

"Guess I should report to the Maestro and Veterano, then." He said, placing the phone in a pocket and standing. He grabbed his rifle, quickly took the scope off, and threw it in the trash can. He didn't need it anymore. He packed the rifle in it's case, then looked towards the door. He strained his hearing and sense of smell for a moment, then nodded once to himself. He stood and walked out the door with everything he had brought with him, sans rifle scope.

He had a mission to complete.

 **And that does it for Chapter 19 of Zootopian Assassins! This Wolf I've introduced will play a pivotal roll in the story, but his biggest roll will be at the end. Not spoiling anything, so that's all you get. Anyway, I wanted to give a big thank you to Bernard Glassman from Quora for his advice on writing mentally unbalanced characters. It will come into play during various points in the story, though I've yet to decide when. I hope I can correctly and convincingly portray such characters with the advice given, so I just want to say thank you again, Bernard. Your advice is very helpful. And no, I didn't** ** _plan_** **on making him the brother of the Wolf from Chapter 9, that just kinda happened on it's own. And yes, that does mean that next Chapter will focus on Lumi and Is visiting Lumi's father with Aukusta. Look forward to that, I suppose. I just realized I say that a lot. Huh. Anyway, that's enough of that, I will see you guys...next update. Word Count: 6,095**

 **Translations: Swedish and German**

 **Is: Ow! Hell!**

 **Unknown Mammal: They know about the Mentor?**


	21. Alekka

**Hey guys Price here and welcome to Chapter 20 of Zootopian Assassins! The Wolf from last Chapter will be returning briefly here, so yeah. And yes, I did pretty much just destroy the German Brotherhood last Chapter. They are** ** _all_** **dead. Except for the Wolf, anyway. I hope you guys enjoyed last Chapter, and I hope you enjoy this Chapter as well. In case you couldn't tell, I'm going to be uploading one Chapter a week so that I have plenty of time to keep ahead. I don't have a set day, just randomly throughout the week. This will continue until I have the last Chapter done, at which point I will begin to upload two per week so I can still have time to get a small bit ahead on whatever story I start or continue next. I hope you guys are okay with this schedule, because I'm trying to get one started. Hopefully it works. Anyway, that's enough of that, I think it's time to get...onto the story!**

Lumi looked at the bags that sat on the bed her and her mate Is had been sharing for the past few months, a wishful sigh escaping her. She wished they could stay here forever and leave their lives in Zootopia behind, despite the fact it was only two hundred or so miles away.

She was grateful to Gideon for allowing her, Is, and their daughter Aukusta to stay with him for so long, but she felt it was time to go back. She hadn't had the chance to bring it up, though, so she was a bit nervous about how Is would react. For some reason he hated it when others made choices for him.

A knock came from the door, and Lumi tensed. She strained her nose, then let out a sigh. She opened the door, allowing Is to come in. He paused at the sight of the bags, then walked over and sat down on the bed.

"I see somebody's ready to go back." He said, glancing over at the bags briefly.

"I figured we have stayed away long enough. I just...I get the feeling that they need our help for some reason. And I think it is being time to meet my father. I just...I am being worried about how he'll react and...I do not know what I will do if he says he does not want us being together. I love you, and I could not put Aukusta through only having a single parent, but he is the only family I have outside of you and our kit that...I just do not know what I would do!" It was obvious she was panicking, and Is felt nothing but compassion for her. She was in a difficult situation, and he could not blame her for panicking. He wasn't sure what he would do either.

"I understand, Lumi. But there is only one thing we _could_ do, aside from seeing each other in secret, if you wanted to continue our relationship." He said, the confusion Lumi felt as she pondered what he could mean was evident.

"What is that?" She finally asked, though he could see she was fearful of the answer.

"We push back. We push until he accepts us." Is answered, and Lumi still looked fearful.

"But...what if he will not accept us?" She asked, and Is could tell this was the first time she was truly thinking about how badly this could go.

"Then we keep pushing, Lumi! This is worth it!" He answered, his tone practically begging Lumi to agree. She remained silent, afraid for the first time in her life of what this going wrong could mean. For her, Is, Aukusta. Everybody she loved would be hurt if this didn't go well.

"I..." She trailed off, wanting to answer but not sure of _how_ she could. "I love you. Always." She finally said, Is' shoulders sagging at that.

"And forever." He said, smiling reassuringly at her. He sighed, picking up his bag. "Well, no time like the present, I suppose." He said cheerfully, the tone painfully and obviously forced.

"Yeah." Lumi said, picking up her bag and following him as he headed out the door. When they entered the living room Gideon was sitting at the kitchen counter, resting his head on his paws as he watched Aukusta. The hybrid was currently sleeping, though he refused to take his gaze away, even when Lumi entered his field of vision.

"I see you're leaving." Gideon said, and Lumi nodded.

"We figured we have stayed away long enough. We had fun, though. And...when Aukusta gets a little older...we'll bring her to visit." She said, her voice choking slightly. They would all miss each other, having grown close the past few months.

"I'll hold you to that, Lumi." Gideon said, standing up and walking up to her. They stared at each other for a moment, both unsure what to say.

"See you soon, Gid." Lumi said, taking a step back so she could bend over to pick up Aukusta. When she raised herself up, she saw Is flash her a knowing smile before he turned and walked out. She sighed, knowing full well what he was doing.

"Lumi, I..." Gideon trailed off, obviously not trusting himself to say what he wanted.

"I know, Gideon." She said, opening her mouth to say something more, then closed it with a sigh. "I lo-" She broke off, her gaze flashing towards something behind him. Gideon looked puzzled at her pause, turning to see what she was looking at.

There, on the wall, was a picture of her and Is and Aukusta. They had been outside on a sunny day, and Lumi had a book in her paws as Is held Aukusta, Lumi's gaze fixed firmly on a tree a short distance away, just out of frame. The faintest tint of brown touched Lumi's fur, though the color pigments didn't get any darker than that, ever. She tended to stay white all year long. A genetical gift from her mother, her father used to say.

"Oh, yeah. I figured I'd frame it. Just in case." He said, flashing his phone briefly before replacing it back in a pocket. "So, what were you saying?" He asked, turning back to Lumi.

"I...look forward to our next visit." Lumi said, smiling and walking past Gideon. She walked out the door, sending a short glare at Is.

"Yeah. Me too." Gideon said, walking back to his seat at the counter. He rested his head on his paws, letting out a sad sigh as he realized he didn't have any deliveries for almost two more days.

Lumi walked about a foot behind Is, both remaining silent. Is because he didn't know what to say, Lumi because she was pissed. Finally, the silence got to be too much.

"You knew, didn't you?" Lumi asked, Is glancing over his shoulder briefly.

"Honestly, at first I was hoping he was just being influenced by the time of year. Then, last week, it became obvious. I think...I think he likes Aukusta." Is said, chuckling.

"Oh, you just picked up on it last week? No wonder I had to be the one to confess." Lumi snorted in amusement, Is huffing.

"Well, I read that it was normal in Fox society for the female to instigate things. So I figured it would be a good idea to wait and see if you would." Is explained, and Lumi huffed in slight amusement.

"It is also being perfectly acceptable for the male to instigate things as well." Lumi retorted, earning a groan of annoyance from Is. "You seem to forget, Is, that I am a Fox. I know more than you in this department."

"Says the Vixen who had no idea how to handle anything but the intimate parts of a relationship." Is said good-naturedly, Lumi chuckling.

"I don't seem to remember _you_ having any knowledge on the subject either." Lumi said, making Is laugh.

"True, true. It would seem we're both equally clueless." Is said, their banter dying down into a comfortable silence.

After about thirty or forty minutes, the station came into view.

"I am starting to think this may be a bad idea." Lumi said, glancing at Is briefly.

"Nah, what could go wrong?" Is asked, Lumi chuckling.

"Famous last words in any horror movie ever." She said, shaking her head in amusement.

"You seem to be forgetting, Lumi, that this is no horror movie." Is said, the train station coming closer and closer.

"Feels like it sometimes." Lumi said sadly, Is shrugging in her peripheral vision.

"Welcome to life." He said simply, like it answered everything.

"Indeed." They lapsed into silence again, ignoring the looks they received as they walked around the various mammals – mostly rabbits – in order to get to the ticket booth.

They stepped up to the counter, the Bunny behind the glass busy reading what looked like a comic book.

"Excuse me." Is said, the Bunny looking up in surprise.

"Oh! Excuse me, I'm so sorry. I didn't see you two there!" The Bunny apologized, placing the book down and leaning forward. "Did you tw-er, three, need tickets?" They asked, Lumi chuckling lightly.

"Yes please. Zootopia." Is said, the Bunny nodding and pulling three tickets from a wheel, handing them their tickets and bidding them goodbye. Is smiled gratefully, then followed Lumi as she began to walk towards the train. They boarded and, with a quick glance around, headed to the upper floor. They chose seats and sat down, both intent on enjoying the trip back home.

That, however, came to a screeching halt when another passenger entered. It was the Wolf.

Humming quietly to a song only Lumi recognized, they placed the case they held under their seat and pulled a small book from the coat they wore, crossing their leg as they sat down and opened it.

Lumi laughed at seeing the cover, drawing the gaze of the Wolf.

"Something funny?" He asked, looking confused at her sudden outburst.

"Wouldn't have taken you for a fan of _that_ series." She said, gesturing to the cover of the book.

"Heard it was good. Plus I wanted to see how different it was compared to it's adaptation. Also to practice my German. Heil die Bruderschaft." He said, Lumi blinking.

"Ah, you are a Brother. Explains a bit." Is said, Lumi looking at him. "He knew a lot of languages." He said, Lumi nodding in understanding.

"Talking about Sven, right?" The Wolf asked, both Is and Lumi tensing slightly.

"Uh, yeah. How did you know?" Lumi asked, her and Is exchanging glances.

"Oh, I've been following you for a while. Germany has taken quite an interest in the sudden and unexpected rise in the Animalian roster. Now though, I'm all that's left. They got found only a few weeks ago, and as far as I know...they're all dead. I was talking with the German Mentor when it happened. As for how I knew about Sven...I did my research." The Wolf answered, looking Is in the eye. "Tell me...why'd Sven leave the international business to settle for staying national? And halfway around the world, no less?" The Wolf asked, Lumi blinking in confusion.

"I...am not sure I follow." She said, Is sighing.

"Sven Larsson. Maybe you read about him." The Wolf answered, and Lumi felt her breath catch.

"I...see." She said, gaze falling as she realized why Is never talked about his other side. "Sven Larsson was a decently known international assassin well known for his ruthlessness. Almost always used a garrote or other method of asphyxiation to kill his targets. Never identified his species, last I read." She said, rattling off information she had read years prior like it was yesterday.

"And you're mated to him." The Wolf said, Lumi sighing.

"Well, can't say I ever thought I'd be found." Is said, drawing attention from Lumi and the Wolf. He leaned back into his seat, tilting his head. "Sven would probably have tried to kill you by now, you know. However, I have more trust than he does. So, as long as you don't say anything...I have no reason to do anything." He said, the Wolf looking surprised by Is' statement. "I left that behind. Now I just want to do the right thing. Live a life as normal as I can."

"You still kill." The Wolf said, Is shrugging.

"Yeah, but now it has a purpose. These mammals want to take over everybody, and I can't have that. It would defeat the purpose of my retirement. Or Sven's retirement, I should say." Is said, the Wolf chuckling.

"So, you have a name?" Lumi suddenly asked, looking at the Wolf questioningly.

"I expected you to have more of reaction to the news your mate is a world renowned assassin, to be honest." The Wolf said, surprise evident on his face.

"It is being called compartmentalization. You did not answer my question." Lumi said, leaning forward expectantly.

"Call me Jacob." The Wolf said, Is arching an eyebrow playfully.

"Would you like a Frye with that?" He asked, Lumi tilting her head in confusion.

"I do not get the joke." She said, Jacob chuckling.

"Jacob Frye was an Assassin from the Industrial Revolution in London, along with his sister Evie. Stopped the Templar Grandmaster's plot and everything." Jacob explained, Lumi only becoming more confused.

"How did you know about that?" She asked Is, turning to the Hare.

"Archives are always open. And easily accessible from our, ah, meeting place." He answered, Lumi nodding.

"Always did wonder what you were doing when we were not training." Lumi remarked, shifting slightly. Aukusta remained asleep in her arms, for which she was grateful. While the kit wouldn't understand what they were talking about, she still wasn't going to talk about her and Is' night jobs in front of her.

"Could've asked." Is said, leaning against her slightly. With a small sigh, he closed his eyes.

"Is, you are not leaving me alone with Jacob." She said, Is waving tiredly as he opened his eyes.

"Well, then just go to sleep too." He said, eyes closing again.

"Unbelievable." Lumi muttered when she realized he had fallen asleep, rolling her eyes at Jacob. "Touch me, Is, or Aukusta and I bite off your assets." She said, closing her eyes.

"Noted." Jacob said, lowering his gaze back to his book. He winced as he read, eventually reaching the end of the chapter. He marked the page and closed the book, placing it back into his coat. He tilted his head as he observed the three sleeping mammals in front of him, pulling a notebook from his jacket and reading everything he had on the pair.

 _'Lumi Keto. Born in Nuorgam, Finland. Parents unknown, though likely deceased or absent. Came to Zootopia around 2000, upon where she was soon arrested for illegal possession of a firearm. The matter was cleared up and filed as a misunderstanding and the Arctic Fox in question accidentally grabbing the wrong card before leaving her home. She, along with her now Mate Is Larsson, rented an apartment together in Tundra Town. Shortly afterwards she began to work at Jim's Gun Store. Years later, she joined the Assassin Brotherhood with Is, where upon she began her training shortly afterwards. She bested Maestro Nicholas Wilde in simulated combat, but her victory was short lived as the Maestro pulled the pin on a grenade, taking both of them out. After Maestro Wilde and Veterano Judith Hopps returned from their trip to Bunny Burrow with Relcute Daedalus and Perseus, she and the rest of Beta Team – made up of herself, Is Larson, and Fantasma Sousa – entered the hospital at which the two were staying. Not long afterwards, she, for unknown reasons, left the room and entered a janitor's closet. Michael approached her and attempted to...have some fun with her. He was stopped when Lumi shot him in the head, killing him. Two months later, her and Is came to Bunny Burrow on a vacation in order to get away from the city. Is was captured by Templars and Lumi, despite multiple orders to stand down, launched an assault on the Templar Compound. There were no survivors, and she succeeded in her mission to rescue Is. It was then revealed that she was pregnant, and Aukusta – her and Is' daughter – was born. The only other instances of contact between the Brotherhood and Templar Order during their trip was when they attended a Serendipiday festival, where they were approached by two Templars who Is killed. However, this contact was all that was required for Is Larsson's alternate personality, Sven, to awaken. They returned to the residence they had been staying at, and I made contact a few months later. They were initially hostile, as was to be expected, but they calmed after I explained why I had been watching them.'_ The space on the page ran out, and he flipped the page to view the data on Is. _'Is Larsson. Aside from his name, not much is known about him. He's a ghost, and that makes me nervous. He is a skilled combatant, and fluent in Swedish and Finnish, possibly other languages as well, aside from Common. I will continue to observe and gather more information as time goes on.'_ He sighed, closing the book and replacing it in the pocket he kept it in. With a glance around, he closed his eyes and let sleep take him.

Lumi opened her eyes slowly, letting out a small groan as her eyes were assaulted by sunlight. She shook her head, opening her eyes again only to find Is and the Wolf, Jacob if her memory was right, glaring at each other. She imagined that if they had been the same size they would have been butting heads.

"Look, Jacob, I get that you don't trust me because of Sven. I don't blame you. But if you _ever_ mention something like that again, the coroner won't be able to identify you." Is said, the Wolf looking nervous for a heartbeat at that. His eyes raised and saw Lumi looking at them, and he cleared is throat. He gestured towards her, Is turning. "Lumi, you're awake!" He exclaimed cheerfully, casting a look at Jacob over his shoulder briefly before hopping up into the seat next to her.

"What was that about?" She asked, Is sighing as he slumped.

"He...said something I didn't like. I reacted." He answered, looking away shamefully.

"By threatening to make his corpse unidentifiable?" She said, arching an eyebrow.

"Sven didn't like it either." Is said as way of explanation, crossing his arms.

"...Good to know." Lumi remarked, looking out the window. "Oh hey, the station." She said, the mood of the upper room immediately improving with the words.

A few minutes later, the train was stopped at the station.

"Well, see you guys later." Jacob said, retrieving the case under his seat and walking down the stairs.

"Uh, you too." Lumi said, frowning. She shrugged as best she could with Aukusta in her arms, following Is as he walked down the stairs and off the train. When they were out of the station, he turned to her.

"So...where's he at, your dad?" He asked, looking up at her.

"You _do_ realize there is being only one building that serves as both a hospital and a nursing home, right?" Lumi asked, Is giving her his 'do I look like I know my way around the city' look. He was pretty good at it, too.

"Do I need to remind you that you tend to do the most sight seeing in this place, despite living here for sixteen years?" He asked, Lumi sighing.

"Oh my god just follow me." She said, shaking her head and beginning to walk. She paused, looked at the buildings around her, then promptly turned and walked past him. "It is this way, not that way."

"This is gonna be a long day..." Is muttered, following Lumi as she orientated herself with the city again almost immediately. For a small town Fox she sure had navigating Zootopia down pat.

When they arrived at the building – after receiving a great many mixed looks from mammals of course – they entered and Lumi stepped up to the desk.

"Lumi, how are you?" The Lynx at the desk asked excitedly, looking happy to see the Fox.

"Just fine, Annie. We have come to see my father." Lumi said, the Lynx nodding.

"I see you finally got those fantasies of yours fulfilled." The Lynx said, gesturing to Is and Aukusta.

"Oh my god, Annie." Lumi said, head hanging.

"I'm hearing this story later." Is said certainly, following Lumi as she walked towards the elevator. "What, no stairs?" He asked playfully, Lumi giving him an unamused look.

"I am feeling lazy today." She said, entering the elevator. When Is entered, she pressed the button for the second floor, Is sighing.

"Wow. You must be feeling particularly lazy." He remarked, earning a glare from Lumi.

"Please just...be serious about this, Is." She said, Is blinking.

"Okay. I mean, it's not like I have anything to worry about. Certainly not being told I'm not good enough by your dad." He said with a nervous laugh, Lumi staring at him with wide eyes for a moment before her expression softened.

"Is, he is being much nicer than that. I was just being irrationally fearful. You know how I am." She said, Is sighing.

"I know, Lumi. It's just...I tend to try and make light of things like this when I get nervous, okay? Believe me, I am absolutely _terrified_ right now." He said, making Lumi chuckle.

"Yeah, I kinda figured that out the moment I told Annie we were here to visit my father. I could literally smell your fear." She said, Is glaring playfully. The elevator dinged, and they stepped out. Lumi kept her eyes on the room numbers, still using her memory of the number instead of bothering to remember the layout.

She stopped outside a room, glancing at the number briefly before letting out a breath.

"This it?" Is asked to her left, Lumi looking down at him.

"Yeah." She said, looking around briefly before she turned to him. "Alright. Stay outside for a moment, and hold Aukusta. I want it to be a surprise...even though I told him I was pregnant already." She said, frowning to herself briefly.

"Okay. Give her here." Is said, holding out his arms expectantly. Lumi handed Aukusta to him, Is scooting over a foot or so so he was out of sight of anyone inside the room. With a deep breath to calm her nerves, Lumi opened the door and stepped in.

"Father, you here?" She asked, looking into the room.

"Living room." She heard, and she smiled. She stepped further into the room, closing the door partially behind her so Is would still be able to get in. When she saw her father sitting on the couch, she smiled warmly at him as she approached.

"Hey." She said, sitting down next to him.

"It has been a little while, Lumi. What took you so long?" Her father asked, fumbling with the remote to the tv. He muted it, looking slightly embarrassed at his mess up. "You would think I would be used to it by now." He said light heartedly, gesturing to the stump of his right arm.

"I apologize, father. I have been extremely busy with a lot of things, and I just could not make the time. Trust me, I would have come if I could." She lied, feeling bad about it immediately. It wasn't like she could say she had been busy killing other mammals and...other things.

"I think you mentioned that you were pregnant a few months ago. What ever happened to that?" Her father asked, and Lumi made to call Is into the room. She hesitated though, the fear she had felt that her father would reject her mate and daughter bubbling up again.

"I...got into it with a Red Panda of all things. He tried to hit on me, and he did not like me telling him no. So he...tried to wind me. Ended up doing a lot worse." She said, her look dejected as she remembered the feelings she'd had in that moment, when Otso had kicked her.

"Oh god, Lumi. I am so sorry." Her father said, embracing her as best he could. Lumi attempted to leave it at that, but then realized what she was doing. With a deep breath, she smiled slightly.

"However, it would seem I had some luck after all. It was going to be twins, you know. I was going to name them after you and mom, but...the male took the brunt of the impact. So, I suppose it is being time to just get it over with." She said, her father leaning back from her so he could look her in the eyes as she spoke. She cleared her throat, and the sound of pawsteps reached them a second later. They turned to see Is standing there with Aukusta, who was now awake. The Hare smiled nervously, and Lumi felt her father stiffen slightly beside her.

"You must be Alekka. Lumi's told me so much about you." Is said, beginning to step closer when Lumi's father let out a small growl.

"Father?" Lumi asked, surprised at the sudden change in mood. Is seemed just as surprised, looking at Lumi for help. Her father moved from the couch, crouching down until her was on all threes, prowling closer to Is. His lips were peeled back, teeth exposed. Lumi stood up to stop him when her gaze found his shackles. They were lowered. Letting out a small, quiet breath breath of relief as she realized what he was doing, she sat back down. Is seemed to realize it at the same time, because his look changed from panicked to confident in the time it took Lumi's tail to touch the cushion.

He raised his head, keeping her father in his sights while also exposing the small, almost invisible scars on his shoulder. Lumi winced, remembering how those had occurred. They'd been playing around and she had accidentally marked him, though he'd been wise to stay still instead of trying to pull away as her teeth found their mark. When her father saw them, he stopped. He tilted his head slightly as his posture relaxed, slowly raising himself to a standing position.

"So you are being Is. I always wondered when my daughter would make her move." Her father said warmly, and Is' face relaxed into a happy smile.

"Well, she had been in a rather...distressing situation. Honestly, I thought she was just exaggerating it until she...uh, kissed me." He said, not wanting to sound crude by saying that what had followed her distressing situation had been a very heated session of fun.

"Hm. Figures she would make that move before she got married. Always was an achiever. She wanted something, she was going to get it one way or another." Alekka said with a chuckle, Lumi's face falling at the words.

"Oh my god...and you wonder why I dreaded ever meeting somebody I liked. Your stories to Aakko were bad enough." She said, Is catching the name.

"Oh? Who's Aakko?" He asked, thoroughly enjoying her misery at the paws of embarrassing quips.

"He was a Polar Bear who ran a gun shop in my home town. Last I remember he was still running it, but I am not sure about now." Lumi said, looking to her father for answers. The Fox shrugged, having moved to a stool at the counter dividing the kitchen and living room.

"You Finns and your A names." Is said jokingly, chuckling lightly. "Alekka, Aakko, Aukusta. How many names that start with A do you have?" He remarked, sitting down next to Lumi. Since his back was turned, however, he didn't catch the shocked look Lumi's father threw her way.

"Um...Aukusta, huh? Where did you hear that?" Her father asked, Is being the mammal he is was all to happy to divulge the information.

"Oh, it's what we decided to call our daughter! Honestly, it's a miracle she's awake. She's almost always sleeping." He said, lifting the hybrid in question with a smile. Alekka's paw clenched at the words, making Is falter. "Uh...am I missing something?" He asked, looking confused.

"You named your daughter...after your mother?" Alekka asked, looking at Lumi.

"Father, I-" Lumi was cut off by the male Arctic Fox standing from the stool and leaving the room, entering what Is assumed was the bedroom and closing the door behind him.

"Touchy subject, huh?" Is said, turning back to Lumi. He blinked when he saw her hunched over, looking at the ground. When he saw the tear fall, he placed a paw on her shoulder. Her muzzle was moving quickly and quietly, thought it looked like she was repeating the same thing. Is leaned in, hoping to catch what she was saying.

"Tyhmä Tyhmä Tyhmä Tyhmä Tyhmä!" She said, repeating the word over and over again.

"Lumi!" Is exclaimed, appalled by her words. "You are _not_ stupid!" He said, shaking her shoulder lightly. She looked up at him, the fur directly under her eyes – though only about a half inch or so below her eyes – was wet, and her breath hitched slightly.

"Yes I am, Is. I knew what significance that name held and I chose it anyway!" She said, Is' gaze hardening.

"I have an idea. It's either going to work, or it's going to end with me being mauled to death by your pissed off father. Hold Aukusta for a second, I'll be right back." He said, handing their kit to Lumi. She remained silent, apparently surprised by his statement. He stood and approached the bedroom door, only hesitating for a second before he opened the door and entered.

"What do you want?" Alekka asked, his tone dangerous and reminding Is of when Lumi had panicked after they'd gotten together.

"Look, Alekka, I'm going to be honest with you. I don't know what's gotten you into such a bad mood, and frankly I don't care. What I _do_ care about, however, is that it's gotten Lumi sad. And when she's in a bad mood, I'm in a bad mood. I'm not going to ask you for an explanation, but I am going to ask you to put it on hold until we leave. Lumi has been looking forward to and fearing this trip because she was worried you wouldn't accept us. Quite honestly, I wouldn't care. I'm not going to stop seeing her just because some mammals are too prejudiced to at least try and understand. If you don't like us being together, then just say it. We'll leave." Is said, crossing his arms defiantly. Alekka looked surprised for a moment, then began to laugh low in his chest, and to Is it sounded like hacking at first. It quickly took form, leaving Is confused.

"I am starting to see why Lumi likes you so much. Ah, I have not laughed like that in years, my son. I am well aware that my agreeing with your relationship with my daughter would result in nothing but slight hesitation on Lumi's part. But I am sad to hear she was fearful of coming, to be honest. I would have thought she would know me better than that in all the years we have known each other." He said, though Is had stopped paying attention after the second sentence. His eyes were wide, breathing starting to rattle as he processed what the older Arctic Fox had said. With eyes beginning to water, he let a short laugh escape him as he approached Alekka to within arm's reach. Surprising them both, he wrapped the older Fox in a hug and let his head rest on his shoulder.

"It's-" a small sob, wetting the shoulder fur of the Fox slightly. "It's been forever since I've heard that." He said, Alekka relaxing at that and wrapping his one arm around Is.

"And it's a title you can keep, as long as you remain faithful." Alekka said warmly, Is letting out a small laugh at that.

"I have no plans to do otherwise." He said, voice hitching slightly.

The room was silent except for Is' sobs, neither mammal wanting to say anything. When Is had finally dried up, he stepped back to give the Fox some room.

"I apologize for my behavior earlier, Is. I overreacted, and I am sorry." Alekka said, looking away shamefully.

"It sounds like it's a sore subject, to be honest. So while I do worry about what it'll do to Lumi, I can kinda understand why you reacted that way. Why don't you want Lumi to name her daughter after her mother, anyway?" Is said, sitting down beside Alekka.

"It is not that I do not want her to, it is just...it reminded me of what happened to her, is all." Alekka said, Is tilting his head questioningly. "Lumi's mother...did not live for very long after she was born. She was weakened by a difficult birth, and she refused to rest until she knew nothing was long. As a result...she died. Just collapsed as she tried to walk to the nursery area." Alekka explained, and Is looked away at the information.

"I'm sorry." He said, unable to imagine how that would feel.

"A few days later I found out that she had this rare defect that resulted in the first birth also being the last. As a result, it messes up the insides so much that it just kills the female eventually anyway. I heard it was a painful death, so I suspect...in a way...she did what she could to make sure she didn't die a painful death." Alekka continued like Is hadn't spoken, and for all Is knew Alekka hadn't even realized he _had_ spoken.

"Nobody deserves that." Is said sadly, though the information did make him worry.

"No...no they do not." Alekka agreed, the two falling into silence for a short while more.

"We should probably go reassure Lumi that we're both still alive and in one piece." Is said, wincing slightly at the realization of what he said. Alekka simply looked amused, but he corrected himself anyway. "Er, the same amount of pieces we were in when we came in here." He said, chuckling awkwardly as he opened the door.

"She sounds like more of a worrier than I remember." Alekka remarked, chuckling at his own joke.

"Lumi? A non-worrier?" Is asked sarcastically, opening the door as they laughed at the words. They stepped into the living room, Lumi visibly relaxing when she saw them.

"I see he did not maul you to death." She remarked, Alekka looking at Is questioningly.

"I uh...might have told her that my plan would either work or result in me being mauled to death by an angry you. Sorry." Is said, looking away as he awaited Alekka

s response.

"Well, I was mad enough to do just that at first. However...I realized that you had a point. I let my emotions get the best of me, and I risked losing the only family I had left if I did not apologize. So, I am sorry, Lumi. I reacted badly, and I apologize." Alekka said, Lumi smiling at him.

"I understand, father. I thought that it would be a good idea, to name my daughter after my mother so you would not be sad hearing her name anymore. It was not until Is told you that I realized I had made a mistake." Lumi said, Alekka relaxing visibly. "What, did you think I would be mad at you? Father, if anybody had the right to be upset, it was you. I did not consider how it would affect you when I decided to name her after my mother."

"I admit I was a little worried about you getting upset, but by then it was too late." Alekka said, a small chuckle escaping Is at that.

"We're all just a family of worriers, aren't we?" Is asked jokingly, the three mammals laughing at that.

They stayed for a few more hours, trading embarrassing stories about themselves and random things in general, and Is remained smiling throughout. That smile only faltered when they left, though it made a quick comeback.

He could get used to having a family.

 **And that does it for the Turmoil Arc. I decided to end it on a bit of a happy note, and I hope you guys like it. It was such a trip for me, letting me practice just having believable speech and emotions with characters. And the series that Jacob was reading was none other than my favorite anime and manga of all time, Elfen Lied. I know I like to talk about that some times, but I truly find it enjoyable and emotional. Especially the "Nana is indispensable" scene in the Manga, oh god that made me cry. Knowing that Chief Kurama had been so mentally unbalanced by Mariko dying that he kept a dead clone of her with him for about a week to maybe a month, telling Nana that she was nothing more than an experiment to him, and being attacked by another clone of Mariko called Barbara who Nana tried to convince to enjoy life with Kurama, only to be turned down in favor of killing him. And then Kurama saves Nana by shooting Barbara in the head, and telling her that she was indispensable. I bawled my eyes out for thirty minutes after reading that, I'm not even kidding. My girlfriend literally thought I was losing it when she found me in the corner eating chocolate ice cream straight from the bucket with a spoon. God I need help. Okay, enough of them there SPOILERS for now. I hope you guys enjoyed the Arc, because it was very fun to write. I enjoyed writing Is and Lumi a lot, and I hope I can find an excuse to write them again. Okay, so a little explanation for things that may seem unclear from earlier in the Arc. Jacob** ** _is_** **from Zootopia, as was his brother Michael, but he joined the German Brotherhood after a trip there ended with him being attacked by Templars. He was conversing with the German Mentor when the Brotherhood there was found. They were discussing the Animalia Mentor, and we all know who possesses that role. That will be expanded upon and explained at the end of the story, so don't you worry. I'll offer hints, though, throughout the story, which means you guys gotta keep a sharp eye out. I might've made the ending too obvious by referencing another well known Mentor from the AC games, but I hope not. Just keep in mind, guys, that because I've introduced so many characters, nobody is going to be safe. And I do mean nobody, so expect a few deaths on the Brotherhood's side over the next three Arcs. Anyway, this AN is getting long enough, I'll see you guys...next time.**


	22. Threat

**Hey guys Price here and welcome to Chapter 21 of Zootopian Assassins! This begins the Associates Arc, where I'll introduce all the various Associates that will be helping the Brotherhood. The system will be a bit different from Syndicate, but is still going to be similar enough. You've already met one,** ** _maybe_** **two if I want to** **, and he'll be the first to be introduced in this Arc. I hope you guys enjoy this story, because I honestly have fun writing it. However, seeing as it's the return to Zootopia and the like, it also means it's time to go back to Alpha Team. I don't know whether I'm happy or not about that, honestly. I enjoy writing Lumi and Is but Nick and Judy and Danny are the main main characters in this story, so it's time to return to them. It is also now 2018 in the story, since it ends in 2020 and Arc 1 started in 2016. Hope you guys enjoy, because I may add a few new gadgets into the story that are my own little inventions. Nothing too futuristic of course, unless you count Grip Gloves as too futuristic. And a Scene Recreation System. And I literally just realized, but unless it is explicitly stated, Judy, Nick, and Danny are wearing their masks when they have their Brotherhood outfits on. Anyway, that's enough of that, I think it's time to get...onto the story!**

Nick Wilde stood beside his friends Judy Hopps and Danny Clawhauser, all three of them overlooking the training of the Reclute of the Assassin Brotherhood. Fantasma Sousa, designated leader of Beta Team, leaned against the wall near the entrance. His team mates, Lumi Keto and Is Larsson, were late.

"I wonder what's taking them." Judy murmured, her gaze fixated on the entrance.

"Hm, surely it couldn't be their daughter." Danny said sarcastically, rolling his eyes with a small scoff.

"Lock it up, Danny. We all know that kit sleeps most hours of the day. I find it very unlikely it just happened to wake up before they left." Somebody said from the doorway, the three mammals turning to see who it was.

"Hey Perseus. How's Daedalus?" Judy said, drawing a slight wince from the Lynx.

"Still a bit upset about his busted leg, but otherwise fine. Should be up in about a week, though I'd keep your hopes down. Still can't believe Vaz did that." Perseus said, rolling his shoulders slightly with a grimace.

"He did sneak up on him, to be fair. While I don't say he was in the right, at least he was smart enough to go for the leg instead of the head." Nick said, shrugging as he watched said Tiger attempt to land a blow on his team mate Naomi. The Tigress easily blocked or dodged any blow, and Nick got the distinct feeling she was toying with him.

"Hey, they're here." Danny said from his left, startling Nick who turned quickly. "Sorry Nicky, didn't mean to scare ya." Danny said, gesturing towards the entrance. Nick scowled at the nickname before turning his attention to the entrance in time to see Lumi and Is walking towards the overview section, which they currently occupied.

"Well, guess I better get home. Dae gets nervous if he wakes up and I ain't there for some reason." Perseus said, saluting to them with a quick two digit gesture before turning and walking out of the room.

A few seconds later Lumi and Is stepped into the room, bowing respectively.

"Maestro, Veterano. We are reporting for duty." Lumi said as they stood, her tone only barely leaking the slight fatigue she felt. Aukusta had begun to sleep less lately, only to get more and more clingy. That and sleep did not mix well, or so Lumi's experience said.

"Better late than never, Reclute. Go and give Fantasma a fight to remember." Judy said, the duo bowing again before turning and walking out of the room. They reentered their line of sight a moment later, Fantasma following them as they strolled to an unoccupied section of the room. They squared up, and began to fight.

"So this is what you three do all day." Somebody none of Alpha Team recognized remarked, the three mammals turning. Leaning against the back wall was a mammal with a mask, a large and likely heavy bag hanging over his shoulder.

"Who are you?" Danny asked, stepping forward threateningly.

"Now now, is that any way to treat a Brother?" The mammal asked, removing the mask and flexing his wrist. A Hidden Blade popped out, and Danny stepped back slightly. "Good to know. From Lumi and Is' reactions I thought it was customary to great somebody with violence here." He joked, chuckling lightly.

"You're Jacob, the Wolf they encountered in Bunny Burrow." Judy said, narrowing her eyes. "What's in the bag?" She asked, the Wolf grinning.

"Glad you asked." He said, unslinging the bag and setting it down. He opened it, pulling what looked like weapon parts from it. After another minute passed, he had a rifle in his paws. A large one, too.

"Jesus, that's a Bearrett M82A1." Nick said quietly, eyes wide. "Those things are _expensive_ too. Where'd you get it?" Nick said, looking at the weapon with reverence

"Germany. It was part of the armory of the German Brotherhood, back when there still was one." Jacob answered, Judy blinking in confusion.

"What happened to the German Brotherhood?" She asked, and Jacob looked surprised at the question.

"They got found. Technically, I'm the only one left. However, I think I'd rather be an Associate while I'm here, at least officially. I'm on the trail of somebody suspected of being a traitor, so any advantage I can get is appreciated." Jacob answered smoothly, and Danny let out a scoff at that.

"The only mammal in the Brotherhood here capable of keeping a secret like that is...now wait a minute, you don't seriously thing Bogo is a traitor, do you?" He said, looking shocked at the insinuation.

"Like I said, suspect. Honestly, I hope not though. He's a good mammal, and the only reason he's being investigated is because of how much detail he has on your Contracts. Somebody in the Elders thought it suspicious, so they sent me." Jacob said, disassembling his rifle and placing it back in the bag.

"But _why_ would he be a traitor?" Danny asked, still confused on the whole subject.

"Why was Al Mualim? It's all about the power, Daniel. Or he's been a bug since the beginning. Honestly, if he is clean, I'll request for a transfer to here." Jacob said, closing the bag and slinging it.

"Well, welcome to the Associates, then." Judy said, extending her paw towards the Wolf.

"Thanks. Knew I could count on you." Jacob said, shaking her paw gently and walking towards the exit. "Oh, and if you need me, everything's on here." He added, pulling a phone from his pocket and tossing it. Nick deftly caught it, placing it in a pocket and nodding gratefully to the Wolf.

"See ya later, Jacob." Nick said, getting a nod in response. The Wolf left, leaving the three mammals to digest the information.

It took a few minutes, but the anger Danny had to be feeling broke.

"I mean, surely Bogo couldn't be a traitor. So he has more info on the Templars than normal. So he has a good source, so what? That doesn't mean anything!" Danny said, Judy and Nick sharing a brief look.

"Of course he isn't a traitor, Danny. Like Jacob said, the Elders are just being careful. They've been in this business longer than anyone here combined, so they know all the temptations and triggers. Besides, Bogo is too nice to do something like this." Judy said, both Danny and Nick remaining silent at that. "What?" She asked, curious what had gotten them to go silent.

"You don't make police chief by being nice, Carrots." Was all Nick said, Judy frowning at that.

"Let's just drop it. We can talk about this later." Danny said, obviously distressed about something.

"Yeah. Let's." Nick said, both mammals turning back to the Reclute and leaving Judy to her thoughts. None of them led anywhere fun, so she quickly focused on the Reclute as well.

A few hours later and they called the day, sending the Reclute home to rest.

As Nick and Judy exited the abandoned warehouse, they were surprised to see that Lumi and Is had waited on them.

"Judy, Nick." Lumi said, casting a quick glance at the Cheetah with them. "Daniel."

"Hey!" Danny said in pretend indignation, the facade maintaining for about three seconds before failing. They all laughed as they began to walk.

"So, aside from the whole thing with that one Templar in Bunny Burrow, what'd you guys do?" Judy asked, earning a small scoff from Lumi.

"It was a lot more than one Templar, Judy. What was the count again, Is?" Lumi said, looking at her mate.

"Uh, seventy four, last I remember." The Hare answered, Judy and Nick whistling in awe.

"Jesus, Lumi, and you killed all of them?" Nick asked, looking incredulous at that.

"Hey, I offered them a chance to surrender." Lumi said, wrapping her arm around Is' neck affectionately. Or at least as best she could with the height difference. "Nobody gets between me and my mate."

"Well, not if they want to stay in a single piece." Danny said, earning a collective chuckle from the group, though it was more forced on Judy and Nick's part. The fact Lumi had said it so casually...she had a knack for combat and being an Assassin.

"Hey, guys, I have a question." Is said suddenly, all four other mammals turning to him in surprise. "You guys know who Sven Larsson was, right?" He asked, and Lumi's breath caught at the question.

"Yeah, of course! Who _doesn't_ know about that guy?" Nick answered, Is chuckling awkwardly at that.

"Well, that's what I wanted to talk to you about. You see, I-"

"I know. MPD." Nick said, Is' eyes widening at that. "You're probably wondering why I can even look at you, right?" Nick asked, Is nodding. "Well, that's the thing. To me, you aren't him."

"Wait wait wait, what? Are you telling me that Is is some... _world renowned assassin_?" Judy asked, and Danny blinked.

"Sure seems that way, Fluff." He said, both Judy and Nick looking at him.

"Sorry, but no. Only Nick can call me that. Unless you want a repeat of our first Contract together, that is." Judy said, Danny visibly shuffling away from Nick. "Thought so."

"Anyway, yes. That is exactly what I'm saying, Carrots." Nick said, Judy's lips forming a line.

"Well...I don't know why you really felt it necessary to tell us, but thank you." Judy said, Is looking shocked at her words.

"You...don't think less of me, or anything?" He asked, clearly confused. Lumi kept her gaze averted when anyone of Alpha Team tried to look at her, so they stopped trying.

"We're all Assassins now, Is. You were just more prepared than we were, that's all." Nick said with a shrug, and Is visibly relaxed.

"Well, I'm just glad I could get that off my chest, to be honest." Is said, the group continuing their walk.

When they reached the correct junction, Is and Lumi waved goodbye and hopped onto a large ice flow that flowed by their apartment, and Judy and Nick began the long walk to where they had a small hideout. Tundra Town's twice a day blizzard was coming soon, and they were more likely to get to the hide than the train station.

Lumi stood next to Is as they waited for the ice flow to go by their apartment, her arms crossed as she stared straight ahead. Finally, Is sighed.

"Lumi I know something's wrong, so what is it?" He asked, and Lumi glanced at him.

"I just wish you would not take such stupid risks." She said, her gaze back to being straight ahead.

"Lumi, I had to tell somebody, okay? When others know it gets harder and harder to keep a secret. They were the only ones I trusted enough to tell." He said, and Lumi sighed.

"Still though, Is, what if Judy and Nick had decided to do something?" She asked, the Hare scoffing.

"Yeah, they're really likely to betray their friends like that." He said, rolling their eyes.

"Is, I love you, but sometimes you make me wonder why I bother to worry." She said warmly, letting Is know there was no malice behind her words.

"Hm, well I'll just have to remind you when we get home. Speaking of which, here we are." Is said, Lumi looking up. Sure enough, there was their apartment. They hopped off the ice flow, walking up to the door and entering.

They waved to the landlord, who waved back, and made their way up the stairs. As they passed the various doors leading to neighbors' apartments, Lumi felt that familiar worry about Aukusta. But she also knew her neighbors weren't that cruel.

The door to an apartment opened, and a familiar Caribou stepped out.

"Hey, you two. Glad to see you're back, there were some others here looking for you." He said, the two pausing.

"Uh, did they have anything in common?" Lumi asked, the Caribou tilting his head as he thought.

"Yeah, actually. Most of them had a white patch with a red cross on their shoulders, though a few didn't. You know em?" The Caribou said, Lumi and Is exchanging looks.

"Yeah. We do." She said, her and Is walking past the Caribou. He smartly reentered his apartment as they passed, Lumi's paw resting on her Walther.

"You think they found our apartment?" Is asked, pressing his back against the wall by their door.

"Only one way to find out." Lumi answered, Is twisting the handle and shoving the door open. When no gun fire greeted them, Lumi took a deep breath and entered the apartment, sweeping her Walther left and right. "Clear." She reported, Is coming in behind her.

"Missed something." He said, Lumi looking at him as she holstered her sidearm.

"What's that?" She asked, not seeing anything out of the ordinary.

"Kitchen wall." He said, Lumi turning.

"How did I miss that?" She asked, gaze resting on the knife sticking a piece of paper to the wall.

"The entire piece of metal is black, so I don't blame you. Plus we have light walls that hide the paper." Is said, walking up to the paper. "Well, at least they were considerate of my height." He remarked, pulling the paper down and groaning. He handed it to Lumi, who gave him a quizzical look. She took it, and understanding dawned.

"It's in German." She said, chuckling. "What makes you think I know German?" She asked, Is just giving her a glare.

"Lumi, you read the German version of that one book series. I'm fairly certain you know German." He said, and Lumi chuckled as she looked at the paper. Her face fell and a paw clenched as she began to read.

"'Hello, Assassins. I'm sure your wonderful neighbors have already told you there was somebody looking for you, so I'll cut to the chase. We of the Templar Order came to your apartment as a warning, nothing more. If you continue to pursue us as Assassins, we will level the building with everyone in it. This is your last warning.'" Lumi read, her anger visible in her shaking and clenched paw, and Is took the paper.

"We have to tell Jerry. Get the building cleared and everybody distributed randomly, maybe police custody." Is said, and Lumi nodded in agreement. "I'll check Aukusta, you go get Jerry." He said, Lumi turning and dashing out of the apartment.

Judy entered Precinct One the next day with Nick at her side, walking towards the Bullpen.

"Oh, hey! Judy, Nick!" That plan was scrapped by Clawhauser's call, the two mammals turning to him. He beckoned them over, and they complied.

"Yes, Doughnuts?" Nick asked, leaning against the desk.

"Bogo wanted you guys to take a cruiser over to an apartment complex in Tundra Town. Something about a break in and threat of leveling the building." Clawhauser said, and Nick blinked. Clawhauser leaned closer, gesturing for Nick to do the same. "It's Lumi and Is' apartment building." He whispered, and Nick looked at Judy. She nodded, and they turned and began to run towards the parking depot.

They opened their doors and hopped in, and Judy started the massive vehicle.

"Hold on!" She ordered, and Nick almost went flying as she gunned the car out of the depot.

Danny sat on the roof of a building, practicing with his Kyoketsu Shogei. A chime from his bracer startled him, nearly resulting in the dagger on the end of the chain sinking into his leg. Luckily, however, he stopped it with a tug, bringing it into his paw. He placed it on his belt, raising his bracer.

 _'Danny, get to Lumi and Is' apartment, now. We have a problem.'_ The message read, and he quickly pulled up a map of the city. With a nod of confirmation, he set off towards Tundra Town.

As he passed by the train tracks, he heard the large vehicle approaching and quickly looked at his map again. The tracks went to Tundra Town.

"Oh, this oughta be fun." He muttered, turning towards the tracks quickly. He leapt, arms flailing as he sailed through the air.

With a dull _thud_ his feet impacted the train, and he fired his Rope Launcher as they slipped out from under him. The device kept him from flying off, and for that he was grateful.

As the train screamed through the air, Danny looked in front and behind him for those bubbles for larger animals that let them look over the top of the train. Seeing none, he relaxed.

It didn't take long for the train to pass through the wall, and he immediately felt the drastic change in temperature as the cold wind began to bite into his fur. He was beginning to see why Judy and Nick had added more insulation padding to their outfits, the obvious reasons aside.

He checked the address for Lumi and Is' apartment, then looked around. It was coming up fast.

With a grimace, he untethered the Rope Launcher from the train, immediately sliding backwards. He stood as best he could, then leaped as the train came within distance to the building.

He rolled as he landed, coming up into a combat ready stance as he looked around.

"Well, can't say I expected you to do that." He heard a familiar voice say, turning to find Judy and Nick looking at him from the roof access door.

"I learn from you." Danny said, shrugging as Judy and Nick chuckled.

"You are wearing clothes under that, right?" Nick asked, Danny nodding in confirmation. "Good. Shed the outfit, this is a civvie building." He ordered, and Danny complied. When he was sans any equipment that could be connected with the Brotherhood, they signaled him to follow them.

Nick entered the apartment with Judy and Danny in tow, Lumi and Is waiting. Lumi sat on the kitchen counter, legs swinging back and forth slightly as he hummed what sounded like a Lindsey Stirlynx song to herself, while Is leaned against the wall on the opposite end of the room with arms crossed.

"So I see this is becoming a formal thing instead of a Brotherhood thing." Lumi said, gesturing to Judy and Nick's police outfits.

"Yes and no, actually. No because we were just going in when we got informed and we didn't have time to get changed. Yes because it's also a threat against two of our members. Are all the other tenants out?" Nick said, and when Lumi nodded he turned to Judy. "I'll go get our stuff. You see if the landlord is in his office." He said, and Judy nodded.

"Name's Jerry." Is said, Judy raising a paw to show she heard.

"Wait, what about me?" Danny asked, arms spread as he looked at Nick in confusion.

"Help them see if there's anything they missed?" Nick said helpfully, though it was obvious he was grasping at straws as he tried to come up with something.

"I didn't even need to come, did I?" Danny asked, Nick shrugging and dashing out before Danny could say any more. He looked at Lumi and Is, silence stretching as they looked at each other, none of them sure what to say.

"I feel like this is gonna be a _long_ day." Is remarked, pushing off from the wall and walking into the hallway a few feet away. Danny assumed he was going to check on his and Lumi's daughter, so he remained put.

Judy knocked on the door to the landlord's office, waiting patiently for an answer. The door opened, a Badger looking at her in surprise.

"Well, can't say I expected them to send the ZPD's own Judy Hopps for such a call." He said, stepping aside and gesturing for her to enter.

"The ones the mammals were looking for are friends of mine. Chief Bogo figured it'd do them a little good to see a familiar face." Judy said, the lie coming disturbingly easily. She used to be unable to keep a convincing lie, back when she first became a cop. With her joining the Assassin Brotherhood, however, she'd began to do it more and more easily as time went by.

"Yeah, Lumi seemed pretty rattled when she told me what it said. I don't know who would want to harm her and Is, though. They're such nice mammals that it's hard to believe they have any enemies, or at least any with access to the means to go through with such a threat." The Badger said, and Judy paused a moment as she tried to come up with something. She disguised her pause by writing his words down, as was procedure.

"Don't worry. We'll figure it out, and you can get your tenants back and out of any harm." Judy said, and the Badger suddenly jumped, as if startled by something.

"Forgive me, I don't think I introduced myself. I'm Jerry Badgerton, nice to meet you." The Badger said, extending a paw.

"Likewise, Mister Badgerton." Judy said, shaking his paw. "So, what can you tell me about the mammals that came here searching for the occupants of apartment four twenty one?" She asked, and Jerry paused as he racked his brain.

"They were mostly Prey, though a majority were some of the more omnivorous species'. A few were Preds, but they seemed to be more for intimidation than anything. All of them had a white patch with a red cross on their shoulders, though what it could be for is beyond me. The mammal who I assumed was their leader, a Hart, asked me for Lumi Keto and Is Larsson's apartment, but I sensed trouble so I played dumb. Told them there weren't any mammals with those names living here, but they seemed to know I was lying. Told me they had seen them entering and exiting this place frequently, so to tell them the truth. So I told them they lived on the fourth floor, but that was it." Jerry said, and Judy nodded as she wrote that down. "I uh, didn't do the wrong thing, did I, telling them?" Jerry asked, looking nervous.

"It's likely they would have...coerced the information from you, meaning compliance was your best chance, so I say you did what seemed like the safest option. Nobody could blame you for that." Judy answered, smiling reassuringly. "Thank you, Mister Badgerton. That will be all." She said, hopping down. "Good day." She added over her shoulder as she left, waving.

She made her way back upstairs, passing by doors until she reached the fourth floor, then opened the heavy steel gray door with a small grunt of exertion. She walked down the hallway, entering Lumi and Is' apartment.

"Hey Judy. Get enough?" Danny asked, sitting on the back of the couch in a way that left all four legs on the floor.

"Just that Jerry thinks the leader of the group was a Hart, and that most of the species' in the group were omnivorous animals generally identified as Prey, with the few Preds being more for intimidation than anything else." Judy answered, shaking her head. "Definitely Templars, though." She added, sighing as she sat down on the couch. Danny flipped backwards, coming to a stand in front of the couch. He turned and sat down, making Judy chuckle. "Showoff." She said with a small grin.

"Well, I had good teachers." Danny said as a retort, both of them chuckling. They jumped at knocking coming from the windowsill. They looked at the far one, Nick waving at them from outside the glass.

"When did he get here?" Danny asked, looking confused.

"Who knows, let's just get him inside before somebody sees him." Judy said, walking over and opening the window. Nick gripped the window and swung his legs inside, his other paw appearing with an almost silent sucking noise.

"What in the world was that?" Danny asked, looking surprised. Nick raised his paws, wiggling his digits and showing off the gloves on them.

"They were in a package at the door to mine and Judy's apartment. Apparently, they're new developments by the Research and Development team for officers to use for scaling buildings silently if the need arises or, even better, getting a better grip on suspects. Or at least that's what the note said." Nick explained, pulling the small backpack he had on off and laying it on the floor. He opened it, pulling Judy's Brotherhood outfit and gear from it, along with two pairs of the new gloves. He handed Judy her stuff and a pair of gloves, while giving the other pair to Danny.

As Judy pulled her outfit on, Danny flexed his digits within the gloves.

"You said these can scale buildings, right?" Danny asked, looking at Nick. The Fox nodded, and Danny looked at the window. "Why do we need these when we already have our Rope Launchers?"

"Again, silence. The Rope Launcher is relatively quiet, but not entirely. And also so we can ride the train." Nick answered, Danny giving him an uncertain look. Nick removed a glove and extended his paw. "Let me see your arm." He said, and Danny complied. Nick slid the sleeve on Danny's outfit up, gripping his arm with the ungloved paw. Danny got the hint and pulled his arm free, albeit with some effort. The Fox's grip was stronger than it looked.

"I think I can see where this is going." He said, extending his arm again. This time, Nick gripped his arm with the gloved paw, making Danny grimace.

"Oh, did I forget to mention? The gloves grip method is small, invisible to the naked eye spines. Like the first Spider-Mammal movie, only without the webs." Nick said, releasing Danny's arm. Small beads of blood dotted the Cheetah's arm, though they were hidden by the sleeve when he lowered it.

"Well, they were creative, I'll give em that much." Danny remarked, Judy pulling her mask over her face and her hood up and slipping the gloves on.

"Hey Nick, you think these things can be used as weapons?" The Rabbit asked, looking up at her Mate questionably.

"How so?" He asked, and Judy glanced at Danny. The Cheetah caught her gaze, his eyes widening.

"No. No!" He said, looking around. Is and Lumi stood in the hallway that lead to other rooms in the apartment, amusement on their faces as they watched.

"Don't worry Danny, I'll be gentle, if that's what you're worried about." Judy said, Danny blushing at the comment as Nick, Is, and Lumi snickered at the joke.

"Under normal circumstances, I would worry about hearing those words from you. Now I'm terrified at hearing them." He said, backing away as Judy advanced.

"Oh, relax. It'll just be a small little poke." Judy soothed, her gloved paw raised. A sudden ring made them all freeze, looking at Nick in surprise.

"You got lucky, Clawhauser. I've had my bracer run the new Scene Recreation System since I got back. It's ready." Nick said, tapping something on his bracer for a few seconds. A moment later, a small blue ball was hovering over his bracer. Nick made an annoyed sound, then grabbed the ball. He threw it down, the object smashing against the wood and a life sized projection bloomed from the site.

"Wow." Judy remarked, not realizing this was what the new SRS did.

"Yeah. It gets better." Nick said, pointing at where the projection had cast the door. As they watched, the blue projection swung inward, and a large group of mammals entered. They watched as a Hart walked over into the center of the room, casting a few glances around.

"They're gone, sir." A Tiger said, the Hart whipping around.

"I know that, you idiot! We're just here to leave a warning anyway. The Grandmaster has a plan for eliminating all of them already, so killing them would be pointless." The Hart said, a Weasel standing next to the wall where the note had been and looking it over. The Hart's hoof flashed out, and a knife embedded the paper to the wall. The Weasel jumped back, then gripped it's paws to it's chest with a hiss of pain.

"A little warning next time." The Weasel said, the Hart casting the mammal a look of disdain.

"Let's go. They could be back at any moment." The Hart said, walking out of the room. The mammals exited after the Hart with brief glances around, and the projection disappeared.

"I didn't realize the police had access to such advanced tech." Is said, looking impressed at the SRS.

"It, much like the Grip Gloves, is a developmental prototype. This is the only one so far." Nick said, his bracer beeping again. "Ah, the recorder is done." He said, a small panel on the bracer opening. A small usb stuck up from the bracer, and Nick removed it, pocketing the device.

"Jeez, they really overhauled the bracers while we were gone." Lumi said, and Nick nodded.

"Yep. We're working on adding a panel that slides open or closed over the screen for added armor, but we've been unsuccessful with keeping it strong enough to take sustained blows from anything larger than a Wolf so far. Maybe in a year or two." Nick said, Judy watching with admiration under her mask. If anybody needed help with a function of the bracer, they just had to ask Nick. He knew everything there was to know about them.

"Well, we just need to scan the voice frequencies, get some matches, and we are good to go." Judy said, Nick nodding in agreement.

"We'll get ready." Lumi said, her and Is turning to go to their room.

"Yeah, no. You two are staying here. If they come back, somebody has to stop them." Nick said, Lumi and Is looking like they were going to argue. "That is an order, you two." He added, the Hare and Arctic Fox looking away.

"Well, then I hope you won't mind me pulling rank. They're going with you. I'll watch the apartment."

 **And that does it for Chapter 21 of Zootopian Assassins! I hope you guys enjoyed it, because the plot – which I just realized has been relatively absent – is picking up this Arc. Who is this mystery mammal pulling rank on Nick? Well, there's only one mammal who outranks him in the Animalian Brotherhood, so it should be fairly obvious. I bet you guys were expecting me to do something to Aukusta, weren't you? Come on, it did seem like I was, what with the Templars breaking into Lumi and Is' apartment and all, don't you think? But don't worry, I'm not** ** _that_** **cruel. I hope I'm not making everything too futuristic for you guys, but it is 2018 in the story, so of course they'll have some stuff we'd think are a little too advanced. Who knows, maybe we** ** _will_** **have something similar to Grip Gloves and the SRS system in 2018. Probably not, but it's some food for thought. Anyway, that's enough for now, I'll see you guys...next update. Word Count: 5,573**


	23. Exorcism

**Hey guys Price here and welcome to Chapter 22 of Zootopian Assassins! I hope you guys enjoy the plot so far, because I am super excited to finally get it underway. That does mean, however, I'm going to have more cuts to different POVs from now on as it is unraveled. And don't worry, they didn't just ignore the line about the Grandmaster having plans to eliminate all of them, they just had other things to worry about. They'll bring it up this Chapter, don't worry. Contract will likely be next Chapter unless I can work it into this Chapter, because I kinda want to focus on building up a plot this and next Arc, while the final one will focus on deconstructing any webs still woven. Anyway, that's enough of that, I think it's time to get...onto the story!**

Judy stood on the roof of the ZPD's Precinct One, Nick and Danny a few feet away. She crouched down over the entrance they used to enter Bogo's office, casting a quick glance at her team mates before gesturing Danny over. The Cheetah approached, his head tilted in curiosity.

"You called?" He said, Judy nodding.

"Since it's still daytime, I need you to go in. If any officers are in there, they may recognize me or Nick. You're the only one they wouldn't know." She said, the Cheetah letting out a huff.

"I'll do it." He said, placing his legs inside the vent. "I so deserve a bump for all the things you guys put me through." He said, shaking his head.

"Hey, you're a Milite now. Stop complaining." Judy said, Danny rolling his eyes and pushing himself into the vent.

He slowed his descent with his paws, hearing a noise of curiosity from below at the squeaking sound the action generated. He cleared the exit, eyes meeting a Wolf officer who was in the process of drawing his tranquilizer pistol. As he raised the weapon, Danny landed and leaned back, kicking the weapon out of his paws and into the air as he came out of the backflip. He caught it, extending his paw and Hidden Blade in one movement. The Wolf froze at the feeling of the point against his throat.

"Wolford, stand down." Bogo ordered, the Wolf hesitating a moment before backing away.

"Good boy." Danny taunted, the Wolf snapping his jaws at him and growling.

"That's enough! Now, what is so important that you had to enter in broad daylight instead of our arranged meeting time?" Bogo asked, looking at Danny.

"Sir, I must ask, who is this?" The Wolf asked, Danny turning to him.

"I'm a CI for a cult Bogo's investigating. It's all very hush hush, since we don't know who we can trust. Could have a mole anywhere, so I need you to forget about this. Pretend it never happened. That kind of thing." Danny said, the Wolf frowning at that.

"But-" The Wolf was interrupted by Bogo slamming a hoof down on his desk, making both mammals jump.

"Wolford, please leave me and the CI to conduct our business." He said, the Wolf opening his mouth to talk. He closed it, looking at Danny. He tossed the tranquilizer pistol back, the Wolf nodding and leaving.

"I seriously hope he doesn't investigate what I told him." Danny said, turning back to Bogo after a moment.

"I repeat my earlier question; what was so important you couldn't wait until our arranged meeting time?" Bogo asked, his hoof on his head in exasperation.

"Well, we need a few voices scanned. We know what kind of mammals broke into the apartment, but that's it." Danny said, pulling the small usb from a pocket. He placed it onto the desk, and Bogo picked it up carefully.

"I'll get a friend in the ZIA to have a crack at it. We don't have the kind of tech required to do this, unfortunately. Should have the results in a few hours, though." Bogo said, and Danny nodded. He made to leave via the vent when Bogo raised a hoof. "Perhaps you should pay a visit to your brother. He's getting worried because you haven't been staying home anymore." He said, Danny hesitating a moment before leaping up and into the vent without a word. He keyed his intercom, pressing and releasing the button to let Clawhauser know he needed him.

A few minutes later the round Cheetah entered his office, catching the usb when Bogo tossed it.

"What's this?" Clawhauser asked, looking confused.

"It's a voice recording from the new SRS. Get it to Jack." Bogo said, Clawhauser nodding and exiting his office.

Jacob removed his eye from the sight on his rifle, pressing a digit to a comm in his ear.

"Beta to Alpha, come in Alpha." He said, the crackle of a comm being activating reaching his ear.

"Alpha here, report." The mammal on the other end ordered, Jacob removing the rifle from where it sat and out of sight.

"Target is sending a data packet to a Jack of the ZIA. Make sure he gets it in an unedited format." He said, already going through every mammal named Jack in the organization.

"Understood Beta. Method of arrival?" The mammal asked, Jacob pausing.

"Possible digital transfer. Have Omega keep an eye on outgoing emails, both encrypted and non. I'll handle any physical deliveries." Jacob said, dissembling his rifle and packing it.

"Negative, Beta. We need you to keep an eye on the Target. Subordinate will handle any physical transfers." Alpha said, Jacob frowning.

"With all due respect, Alpha, Subordinate won't get here in time. I'll meet him halfway in the event of a physical transfer. I'll report back later." He said, turning off the device and shouldering the bag. He stood and began to run, his destination the safehouse he'd been occupying.

A few hours after Danny had left Bogo's office, Nick sat on the edge on a roof, one leg bent and resting on the ledge with his arm draping over it. He looked over the expanse of the city as he awaited word on the identities of the mammals that had broken into Lumi and Is' apartment.

A tap on his shoulder brought him out of his observation, looking over his shoulder to see Judy standing there.

"Hey." She said, Nick turning back to the city and gesturing with a paw as his answer, Judy sitting next to him. "What do you think that Hart meant by the Grandmaster having a plan on getting rid of us?" She asked, Nick remaining silent for a moment as he thought out his answer.

"I'm not sure, to be honest. They obviously know enough about us to formulate such a plan, but I couldn't tell you what that may be." Nick said, Judy looking out over the city as silence took hold.

That didn't last long, as the sound of pawsteps alerted them to their visitor.

"Good news, Bogo's getting the stuff to a friend in the ZIA. Bad news, a Wolf named Wolford saw me." Danny said as he approached, and Judy groaned.

"Oh my god." She muttered, Nick chuckling lightly.

"I told him I was a CI and to keep it hush hush. He said he wouldn't tell anybody, but you guys need to be careful just in case." Danny said reassuringly, Judy groaning again.

"Carrots, a groan of that level of noise is unbecoming of you outside of our apartment." Nick said, earning a chuckle from Danny as Judy went rigid, her ears turning pink slightly.

"Nick, not now." Judy said, crossing her arms and looking away.

"To be honest, I'm surprised none of the other Reclute have heard about this." Danny said, sitting down on the opposite side of Nick from Judy.

"They did. They'll be joining us when we go after the mammals that broke into Lumi and Is' apartment." Judy said, the sound of impacts sounding from behind them.

"You mess with few of us, you mess with all of us." A familiar voice said, the three mammals turning.

"Hey, Vaz. Naomi." Nick said with a wave, voice filter back in place.

"Nikita. Sebastian will be here in a moment. Had something he needed to take care of first. Beta said they will meet us wherever we go." The Siberian Tiger said, Judy and Nick sharing a glance.

"We were hoping that Lumi and Is would sit this one out, but I suppose we can't expect them to. It is personal, after all." Judy said, standing from her position. "Alright. Once we find out the identities of the mammals, we need to be fast. They may not have given us an exact deadline, but that doesn't matter. If we don't stop them now, there's no telling what could happen." She said, turning around to face the recruits.

"You are right, Veterano." Naomi said, Judy nodding in thanks.

Nick stood up, Danny following suit, as they waited. A few minutes later and Sebastian was there, Beta Team close behind.

"Any luck?" Lumi asked as she approached, Judy shaking her head.

"Nothing yet, I'm afraid." She said, Lumi sighing at the answer.

"We wait, then."

Jacob entered the safehouse, careful to make sure nobody was around before he did. He glanced around one last time before he closed the door, knowing just how bad it would be if somebody found the building.

When he was inside, he keyed his comm.

"Omega, any news?" He asked, waiting for the crackle.

"Digital transfer confirmed. File unedited and received. Response sent and mammals identified." Omega reported, Jacob letting out a pleased hum.

"Good work, Omega. Maybe when this is done I'll see what I can do about that rank bump." Jacob said.

"Really?" Omega asked, his voice wavering slightly.

"Of course, Omega. You deserve it." Jacob said, smiling at how surprised the other mammal sounded.

"Thank you, Beta!" Omega exclaimed, Jacob chuckling.

"No problem, Omega. It's what a Pack is for." Jacob said, disconnecting the link before the other mammal could get emotional on him.

Jacob laid down on a small couch barely large enough to hold him. He closed his eyes and let sleep take him, knowing he'd need it in the following weeks.

Judy looked down at the sound of a beep, her bracer coming to life.

"Well well, seems we have our information." She said, grinning in satisfaction. "We have a location. Let's go." She ordered, walking past the other group of mammals. They followed, sharing grins of excitement.

"So, what's it like? Completing your first Contract?" Sebastian asked, Judy looking over her shoulder to answer. Before she could, however, Lumi spoke up.

"When you have something to fight for, it is easy. Almost nothing, really. Because if you do not, they will." The Arctic Fox said, Sebastian looking at her in surprise.

"You have...done it?" He asked, surprise evident.

"Who else do you know capable of what happened in Bunny Burrow last year?" Lumi asked, the entire group stopping save for Is, Lumi, and Nick and Judy.

"That was _you_?" Naomi asked, Lumi stopping and turning.

"It was do or die, Naomi. I did." Was her answer, turning back and continued walking.

" _Jesus._ " Fantasma muttered, his eyes wide.

"Mammals are capable of wonderful things when pushed, Fantasma. That is one of them." Danny said, shaking his head with a small chuckle and continuing to walk.

Judy stopped at the edge of a building, the group stopping behind her.

"We're about two miles away from the building. Beta, you take right. Gamma, you take left. Cross two blocks down." She ordered, the two teams breaking off and sprinting in their respective directions. Judy raised her head looking at the sky. "Let's go." She said, backing away from the ledge. When she was at the opposite end of the roof, she dashed forward and leaped. Her paws clung to the brick of the adjacent building, her descent having just barely missed the ledge, the gloves on her paws attaching themselves to the surface.

"That is a terrifying image." Danny said, watching is awe as Judy pulled herself up and onto the roof.

"Come on! It's easy!" Judy shouted, waving them over encouragingly.

Nick and Danny made it across without incident, and they continued on their way.

Lumi leapt across a small gap between two buildings, rolling with the impact and coming up into a stand as her two team mates landed behind her. She hummed in thought, turning to look across the way.

"We've come two blocks. We cross here." She said, looking down at the road that separated the building they were on from the building they needed to get to. Empty.

"I just realized the shipping port is that way. What's up with the Templars and large buildings?" Is asked, scoffing and shaking his head as he turned to the alley they had crossed.

"Big buildings are good for large operations." Fantasma said, joining him.

"It was rhetorical." Is pointed out, Fantasma shrugging.

"Go." Lumi said, Is and Fantasma both leaping and making their way down to the ground. Lumi was down shortly after, having paused to look around the area. They crossed the street quickly, not wanting to draw attention.

Four blocks away, Gamma Team were deep in conversation.

"Look, Naomi, I get that you want to show what happens when you mess with a member of the Brotherhood, but just charging in blind is likely to get us all killed. And if that happens, we are left leaderless and the Templars can just pick us off whenever they want to." Vaz said, the Tigress having expressed the desire to hit something. Usually that was a bad thing, doubly so when it was just him and a Sable around.

"Ugh, I know! It just pisses me off that they were so easily able to do what they did!" Naomi exclaimed, her paws curled in anger.

"I know, Naomi! But you need to direct that anger into something that is beneficial to this Contract. Use it to best the Templars when we get to them. For now, we're getting behind. We need to go." He said, turning away to look for a way to cross.

"I'm sorry, Vaz. It is not like me to be angered by something so easily." Naomi said, and Vaz sighed.

"Naomi, I don't blame you. They threatened somebody you consider to be family, so this is understandable." He said, gesturing for Naomi and Sebastian to join him.

"Yes?" Sebastian asked, looking up at Vaz questioningly.

"How would you get across here?" He asked, Sebastian looking down.

"Well, we could always use the road." Sebastian suggested, looking down at the empty street pointedly.

"Ah. So we could." Vaz said, glancing at Sebastian briefly. "On we go." He said, leaping off the ledge as Naomi followed, Sebastian only hesitating momentarily.

Judy crouched on the ledge of a building directly across from the Tundra Town shipping port, trying to look for a building that would be able to hold a group of mammals. Danny and Nick were on roofs to either side of her, but they hadn't had any luck so far. She sighed after a few minutes, whistling sharply. Nick and Danny appeared at her sides, almost as if from thin air.

"Well Carrots, there are no buildings large enough. That means this is gonna be open." Nick said, and Judy nodded in agreement.

"Figures." Danny muttered, sighing in annoyance.

"Are the two Teams in position?" Judy asked, glancing at the two mammals on either side of her.

"Beta reports all green." Nick said, gesturing at a clump of buildings to the South of the port.

"Gamma green." Danny said, gesturing to a lone building to the North of the port.

"Move in." Judy ordered, Danny and Nick relaying the order, then following her as she jumped off the ledge and to the ground below. They sprinted across the small road, hopping over the bar that kept vehicles from entering.

"Nick, you go up high. Danny, you stay mid. I have the ground." Judy said, creeping forward as Nick and Danny climbed to their respective heights on the cargo containers.

Judy came out on the other side of the containers, looking around briefly before she made to run again.

"Listen up Brothers and Sisters, I have some news for you." A somewhat familiar voice suddenly said, Judy freezing.

"Who is this?" Judy asked, a chuckle coming from the voice on the other end of the comm. They'd just recently gotten them, Bogo having finally gotten an excuse to order the amount needed.

"You only met me yesterday, surely your memory isn't that bad." The mammal teased, Judy pausing as she tried to remember everybody she had met yesterday.

"Jacob." She said, the name coming to her suddenly.

"Bingo!" Jacob cheered, Judy sighing in annoyance.

"You said you have some news?" Judy said, Jacob huffing quietly.

"Okay, fine. Yeah, there's a...well, it can best be described as a ring of sorts. It's a few rows away, and your targets are there. They also have a hostage. A female Jaguar." Jacob said, and Judy felt her blood run cold at the news.

"Nick, order Fantasma to go home. Now." She ordered, waiting a moment for his response.

"I already know, Veterano. I will see this through." Fantasma said, and Judy scowled.

"Fantasma, no! I will not risk that!" She said, the line cutting suddenly.

"I _think_ that was his way of saying he will." Danny remarked, Judy letting out a small growl.

"Not helping." Judy said, about to disconnect the line when Nick spoke up.

"Uh, Carrots? I think I found the ring Jacob was talking about." Nick said, Judy looking around. She spotted Nick and dashed over, leaping up. Her feet planted on the bottom container and she pushed off, flipping over and planting her feet on the one in the middle. She pushed off that one and pulled herself up onto the top container on top of the stack.

"Where?" She asked, Nick staring at her in amazement for a moment before shaking his head.

"Yes, right. Over there." He said, pointing behind him.

"Of course. They're looking to box us in, then probably have Templars we don't see come around from behind and cut us off." She said, jerking her gaze over to the right side of the ring when she saw movement. "Oh no." She whispered, Nick coming over.

"Fantasma found them." He said, exchanging a glance with Judy. They nodded to each other, leaping off the container and to the ground below.

"Beta, Gamma, come here." Judy ordered when they were on the top of the containers that made up the enclosed space, waiting and listening. She didn't have to wait long before her, Nick, and Danny were joined by the six other mammals.

"What?" Fantasma asked, Judy hesitating a moment.

"We need to get the hostage out of there first." She began, Fantasma nodding and rising. "Wait, Fantasma no!" She hissed quietly as the Black Panther hopped over the edge, landing on the ground about twenty five or so feet down.

"Stop right there, Assassin!" The Hart shouted, Fantasma rising to a stand as a Tiger brought a limp form forward.

"I just want the hostage!" Fantasma shouted, the figure raising their head at his voice. "Let her go, and you'll never see me again!"

"Why should I believe you?" The Hart asked, Fantasma's tail lashing in anger

"I give you my word!" Fantasma answered, his tone all but begging.

"And how much is the word of an Assassin worth?" The Hart asked, and Fantasma let out a growl.

"On my life, I swear!" Fantasma shouted, and the Hart seemed to consider that.

"Very well! You may retrieve the hostage!" He shouted, gesturing for his lackeys to step away. The group backed to the far wall as Fantasma approached. He kneeled over the hostage, then carefully picked them up. He turned and began to walk.

"F-Fantasma? What are you doing here?" The figure asked, and Fantasma smiled reassuringly.

"It's okay, Amanda. You're safe." He said, the Jaguar shaking their head.

"Fantasma, you don't understand. The-" Amanda was interrupted by the Hart speaking up, Fantasma continuing to walk.

"You know...only an idiot swears on their life." The report of a large caliber rifle rang out, and almost at the same time Fantasma's chest erupted in a shower of blood and gore. There was a clear hole from his back through his chest, his destroyed lungs visible.

Fantasma's eyes went wide as he fell to a knee, Amanda falling from his arms, and letting out quiet choking noises as he tried to breath. He finally fell over and onto his back, mouth barely moving as he continued to try and draw air into lungs no longer capable of such a function. The Hart walked up to his body, crouching down and smiling.

"I..." Fantasma tried to speak, choking on his own blood.

"You were right, you know. We won't ever see you again." He said, standing up. He flicked his wrist, and a second report rang out as Fantasma's head erupted in an explosion of blood and brain matter that showered the concrete for feet.

A third report rang out from somewhere behind the Assassins watching, and the Hart's grin disappeared. In it's place was a mist of blood and brain matter, his antlers flying in different directions.

Nine more reports rang out in quick succession, almost like from an automatic rifle, and the skulls of the eight Templars – and presumably the sniper – followed the same grisly fate as their leader.

"Targets neutralized." Jacob reported, stirring the Assassins into motion. They all leapt off the containers, rushing over to the carnage, numb from shock.

"Oh god, Fantasma..." Lumi muttered, her entire body shaking as she got close. She switched her gaze to the Jaguar who lay on the ground, the mammal starting to stir.

"Fantasma..." Amanda groans out, struggling to sit up.

"Don't move, Miss Acosta. Just don't move." Lumi said, keeping a paw on the Jaguar's chest to keep her from rising.

"Where...where is he?" Amanda asked, trying to look past Lumi.

"He...he is fine. Just a flesh wound." Lumi reassured her, smiling in an effort to keep the Jaguar from panicking.

"He's dead, isn't he?" Amanda asked, Lumi hesitating a moment.

"Of course not, Miss Acosta. He'll be fine, I promise. And so will you." Lumi said, though her voice was starting to creak as she struggled not to break down right then and there.

"You don't have to lie to me, Assassin. I worked in a hospital for eight years. I can smell the iron on me." Amanda said, Lumi opening her mouth to speak. All that came out was a choked sob, and Lumi buried her head into Amanda's shoulder.

"I am sorry." Lumi repeated those words for the next several minutes, ashamed her own strength was weaker than a civilian's.

When they finally were able to leave, Lumi was quick to offer Amanda an escort home.

"I will be fine, Assassin. I think you need a rest more than I." She said, and Lumi opened her mouth to argue. "I will be fine, Assassin. I assure you."

"As you wish, Miss Acosta." Lumi said with a respectful bow, the Jaguar looking around. "Shall I help you with the exit, at least?" Lumi asked, extending her paw. The Jaguar cast a glance at the small wall of storage containers, then took the offered extremity.

"Thank you." Amanda said, Lumi nodding.

"Anything for a friend of Fantasma's." Lumi said, aiming her Rope Launcher. "Hold on tight." When Amanda's grip tightened in response, Lumi fired.

"Okay!" Amanda exclaimed in surprise when they were pulled into the air, Lumi taking the brunt of the impact.

"Okay, up you go." Lumi instructed, shoving Amanda up onto the container. She pulled herself up, then walked to the other side. "Alright Miss Acosta, come on." She said, turning in confusion when the Jaguar didn't follow.

"Oh my god..." Amanda breathed out, shock in her eyes as she looked over the carnage that had been wreaked on the Templars.

"Miss Acosta, please!" Lumi said, stepping closer to pull Amanda away when the Jaguar let out a small cry. Lumi followed her gaze to where Fantasma lay, then looked away.

"Was he...was it quick?" Amanda asked, Lumi closing her eyes at how defeated the Jaguar sounded.

"His chest was blown open by the first round. The second came exactly twenty seconds after." Lumi said, drawing in a shuddering breath as she spoke.

"He died because of me..." Amanda said quietly, Lumi's eyes opening at that.

"Miss Acosta, please. We need to vacate the perimeter before officers arrive." Lumi said, her tone hardening at the Jaguars words.

"It's all my fault..." Lumi growled lowly, gripping Amanda's shoulder and spinning her around, tearing her hood off her head in her frustration.

"Amanda! We need to go!" She shouted, the Jaguar blinking in shock at Lumi.

"You...you're an Assassin." She said, closing her eyes briefly before opening them. "Very well. Let's go."

"Thought you would never ask." Lumi muttered, pulling her hood up and standing. She offered her paw to Amanda, the Feline hesitating a moment before taking it.

"I want an explanation later." Amanda said, and Lumi nodded in understanding.

"You deserve one, after all this." Lumi shook her head as she fired her Rope Launcher into the storage container and hopped over the side, Amanda's grip momentarily tightening as she did.

They touched down, and Lumi detached her Rope Launcher as Amanda let go of her.

"I...I think I can find my way home." Amanda said, Lumi blinking in surprise.

"Sorry Miss Acosta, but I can not let you go by yourself. Besides, I still need to give you an explanation." Lumi said, then tilted her head slightly as her ears stood up.

Is touched down behind her, and she turned to greet him. She froze at the look of horror on his face as the Hare approached, until he finally bumped into her.

"He...he looked so scared, Lumi. He..." Is trailed off as his body was seized by tremors, and Lumi moved down to a knee and embraced the Hare.

"I know, Is. It is okay." Lumi said softly, deftly picking Is up and turning to Amanda. "Let us go." She said, Amanda nodding and turning.

Lumi followed the Jaguar as she lead her through the city, Lumi glad that they were lucky enough to not see anybody.

Amanda stopped outside a small apartment complex, turning to Lumi.

"You can go home now, Lumi. I'll be fine." She said, Lumi shaking her head.

"No, Amanda. I'm not going anywhere yet." Lumi said sternly, letting the female Jaguar know it was not up for debate.

"Lumi, please! I'm fine, I promise you!" Amanda was practically begging Lumi to leave, and that made the Arctic Fox suspicious.

"What are you hiding from me, Amanda?" Lumi asked, worry creeping into her question.

"Nothing, I swear. My apartment's just such a clutter and I don't really have enough comfortable space for you two is all." Amanda sounded desperate, and Lumi narrowed her eyes.

"Amanda, you know you can trust me, right?" Lumi asked, the Jaguar stiffening slightly.

"You know Lumi, for a species with such an amazing olfactory sense, I'm kinda disappointed in you right now." Is suddenly said, Amanda's eyes widening at that.

"Sorry to say Is, but the iron is kinda interfering with whatever you are trying to say." Lumi said, the Hare sighing. He squirmed until she unceremoniously dropped him onto the ground, letting out a small sound of pain before standing. He turned to Lumi, looking her in the eyes.

"Lumi, for god's sake, we aren't the only Assassins with a child."

 **And that does it for Chapter 22 of Zootopian Assassins! It's a small tad bit shorter than I would have liked it to be, but it's acceptable. To SophieWitch, who I told I would notify when this Chapter was uploaded, I hope the death scene I vaguely described exceeded your expectations in the violence department. It was disturbingly fun to write this Chapter, and I hope it was just as disturbingly fun to read it. I assure you guys, I plan on writing a backstory Oneshot for the entirety of Beta Team, and it'll probably be around twice as long as the Lumis Oneshot. I'm not gonna lie, more Characters are gonna die before this is over, and chances are they will be just as if not more violent and with more detail. I will** ** _earn_** **that M Rating one way or another. This Chapter only barely breaks five thousand words, but I hope it was likable. I kinda struggled writing Nick and Judy again after so long of not, so I kinda defaulted to Lumi at the end. Thinking about making Lumi and Is Main Characters with their own Chapters randomly, so I can write better dialogue and interaction scenes. I'll probably do that, actually. Next Chapter will feature a condensed version of Fantasma's backstory as he told Amanda when they started out, and the backstory proper will incorporate their relationship as a thing. And yes, I did just do that. I did just give Fantasma a kit. I am such a good person. Anyway, this AN is getting long enough, I'll see you guys...next update. Word Count: 5,077**


	24. The Investigation Begins

**Hey guys Price here and welcome to Chapter 23 of Zootopian Assassins! I hope you guys enjoyed last Chapter, and I hope you enjoy this Chapter as well. I may kill off a Character or two more in this Arc, but I'm not sure yet. I have plans for various Characters to die, but I have no idea when I'll implement them or how. And no, I will not be incorporating** ** _any_** **Pieces of Eden in this story, sorry to disappoint people who wanted to see them. Maybe in another Fic if I write it, though I make no promises. There** ** _will_** **be a sequel Fic, but it'll only be a few Chapters. Sort of a 'where are they now' type of sequel set anywhere from two to eight years after the end of this Fic, and I'll let you guys know when I decide on a set timeframe for it. Anyway, this is getting long enough, I think it's time to get...onto the story!**

Lumi stared in shock at Is following his words, eventually raising her gaze to Amanda.

"Is...is this true, Amanda?" Lumi asked, the Jaguar remaining silent as she stared at Is.

"I...I mean...yes. It is true." Amanda said, looking away sadly.

"Oh my god, Amanda I had no idea. He never mentioned it, so I thought you guys..." Lumi trailed off, her shoulders slumping as she realized just what this would mean for the poor kit.

"Didn't work out?" Amanda searched, Lumi nodding and biting her lip. "Come on. Might as well invite you in, since I'm sure you'll just find a way in anyway." She said, turning around and walking up the short flight of steps to the door. Lumi glanced at Is briefly before following her, the Hare right behind her.

They passed a blacked-out office room, probably the landlord's office. They stepped into an elevator, and Amanda pressed the button for the fifth floor.

"So...Fantasma knew, right?" Is asked suddenly, Lumi blinking in shock at the question.

"Is!" Lumi exclaimed, her eyes wide as she whirled on him.

"It's a valid question, Lumi." Is defended, shrugging.

"Still though! You do not just ask that to somebody who's mate just-" Lumi stopped herself from finishing the sentence, looking away.

"You don't need to censor yourself around me, Lumi. I can handle it." Amanda said, Lumi sighing at the words.

"It just...seems wrong to actually say it." Lumi muttered, silence taking hold over the compartment for a few moments until the doors opened with a ding. Lumi and Is followed Amanda as she led them to an apartment room, opening it with a key and stepping inside.

"I'll make sure Zaqueu is asleep. You get comfortable." Amanda said, gesturing to the couch and two love seats in what would barely pass as a living room.

Lumi sighed as Amanda disappeared into a room, sitting down on the love seat to the right of the couch and pulling her hood off. Is sat in her lap, though he left his hood up, and Lumi rested her muzzle between his ears.

"I can not believe he had a kit and never told us." Lumi said quietly, Is shaking lightly under her.

"It is being possible that the kit is from a previous relationship." He said, Lumi starting at his wording.

"His death rattled you more than I thought, didn't it?" She asked, Is scoffing lightly.

"How can that not, Lumi? He...he had a hole blown in his chest from spine to ribcage. And his head...oh god." Is shuddered again, harder this time.

"I guess...I maintained a professional distance. I knew it was entirely likely not all of the Reclute would survive to see the end of this." Lumi said, Is lowering his head until his muzzle was resting on her chest at her words, though his ears flopped back so she could see.

Within seconds he was asleep, and a moment later Amanda came back into the room.

"I see somebody was affected as well." She remarked, Lumi smiling briefly.

"I think he's just trying to process what happened. It must be difficult, really." She said, stroking Is' head affectionately.

"You sound like somebody who's experienced loss." Amanda said, silence falling for a moment as Lumi paused her stroking, Amanda's eyes widening as she realized what she said. "I'm sorry, Lumi. It just slipped out." She said, Lumi chuckling.

"I do not mind, Amanda. It just surprised me is all." Lumi said reassuringly. "But...yeah. You could say that I have experienced loss. My mother passed away when I was very young. I do not even have any memories of her, to be honest. It has just always been me and my father for as long as I can remember. But enough about that, tell me, what was Fantasma like? I mean, I knew him, but I did not _know_ him. Not like you must have." Lumi said, shaking her head to clear the memories away.

"He was nice, extremely caring. Always made sure I was satisfied in everything. Such a proper gentlemammal, really. An amazing cook, believe it or not. His Arapaima was absolutely amazing. Never did say where he got the fish though, now that I think about it." Amanda said with a small frown at the end, thinking for a moment.

"Is not Arapaima illegal to hunt, though? Or did they change that?" Lumi asked, Amanda blinking at that.

"Wait...it's illegal to hunt Arapaima?" She asked, surprise evident.

"Well, that is being what I heard at least. I am not really sure if it is, though." Lumi said, trying to placate the Jaguar. She shouldn't have said that.

"Maybe he had a friend who farmed them." Is suddenly said from Lumi's lap, startling both of the females. Lumi made to speak when she felt Is begin to unbutton her uniform. She blushed, carefully stopping him.

"Not now, Is." She said, Amanda struggling not to burst out laughing at her embarrassment.

"Relax, Lumi. I'm just cold." Is said, Lumi sighing. Well, at least he wasn't trying to get busy.

"No further than the outer outfit." Lumi said, releasing Is. He was inside her Brotherhood outfit almost immediately, the outfit buttoned back up and his head poking out the collar.

"Mmm, warm." He sighed, shifting slightly in an effort to get comfortable.

"Does he normally do that?" Amanda asked, her muzzle curved in a smile as she watched the spectacle.

"This is a first." Lumi answered, waiting for Is' breathing to become even to look back at Amanda. "Sorry, what were we discussing?" She asked, Amanda opening her mouth to speak.

"You were talking about Fantasma's amazing cooking skills." Is answered, Lumi sighing.

"I thought you were asleep." Lumi remarked blankly, leaning her head away to look down at Is.

"...Night." Is was asleep only a moment later, Lumi chuckling at him.

"Right...anyway! Would you mind if I asked you some questions about his...other life?" Amanda asked, Lumi shrugging

"Not much to tell really, but go ahead." Lumi said, Amanda shifting a little.

"Did he ever...kill anybody?" Lumi hesitated at the question, unsure of how to properly answer.

"Not that I am aware of, no. I did spend a year away from Zootopia, so I am unsure of that period, but I do not think so." Lumi answered, Amanda visibly relaxing at her answer.

"I'm glad. Despite his upbringing, he remained pure to his morals." Amanda said quietly, Lumi perking up at that.

"I am sorry, I am afraid I do not understand what you mean." Lumi said, confusion evident in her head tilt.

"He didn't tell you? That's surprising, considering he always talked about how he considered you two close friends." Amanda remarked, Lumi starting briefly before looking away in shame.

"I hate to say it, but I did not think of him the same way. He was just somebody I worked with to me, and I am starting to regret that. I accepted that it was highly probable not everybody in the Brotherhood would survive this, so I made it a mission to not get attached. That failed, obviously." Lumi said, booping Is on the head with her nose as a gesture of what she meant.

"He thought of you as his friends, despite how annoying you could be, and that was enough for him. I don't think he had many in his life, so he talked about you two like you were almost sacred, even though he thought you could be...annoying at times." Lumi didn't like how Amanda hesitated o the last bit, but she decided to leave it alone for the moment.

"Well, I feel honored he thought so highly of us, even though I do not think we deserved it." Lumi said, drawing her knees in slightly.

"You seem like nice mammals, to be honest. The whole Assassin thing is a bit of a turn off, but other than that you two seem normal as can be." Amanda remarked, making Lumi chuckle.

"I am not going to lie, Amanda, Fantasma is the only member of my team that has not killed anybody yet. Me and Is did it to protect one another, yes, but I still think about it sometimes." Lumi said, Amanda's gaze falling at her words.

"I see." She said, Lumi flinching at her words, knowing the Jaguar was likely at least disappointed to hear that if nothing else.

"So I have told you all I know about Fantasma. What do you know about our favorite Black Panther?" Lumi asked, hoping to change the subject to a more cheerful one.

"Aside from his cooking skills, I know he wanted to work on either construction or at a hospital. He was both physically strong enough for the construction, and mentally sharp enough for the hospital work, so he could've gone either way really. He loved anything that could challenge him, be it physical or mental, so I think that kind of made him hesitate between choosing. That and money, of course. A front desk mammal at a hospital only makes so much, after all." Amanda said the last part with a little light hearted flutter, shrugging nonchalantly.

"Do you know anything about...I do not know, maybe where he grew up at or if he has any family?" Lumi asked, Amanda hesitating slightly at the question.

"I don't know about any family, aside from me and Zaqueu of course, but even then we're just an adopted family really. He thought of us as family, but we weren't really legally family. I suppose the ZPD will likely see that as enough, though. As for where he grew up, all he ever said was it was it was a small island city in a bay. I got him drunk once, though, and I got the name from him. Vitória, Epírito Santo. I looked it up once, apparently it's an extremely popular tourist location. Pretty small population, though, compared to the rest of Brazil. It was around two hundred thousand, maybe a little bit higher, but not three hundred. Probably somewhere around two fifty or two seventy." Lumi scoffed playfully at the part about Fantasma getting drunk, but let the Jaguar finish.

"Fantasma? Drunk? Oh that must have been a treat." Lumi said with a small laugh, Amanda chuckling.

"Oh, you have no idea. The next morning, though, oh dear god I have never felt so bad for another mammal. He literally couldn't even groan it hurt his head too much." Amanda said, Lumi chuckling at the image.

"What in the hell did he drink?" Lumi asked, Amanda scoffing.

"What _didn't_ he drink would be easier to answer. Then again I did bet him he couldn't down a shot of every kind of alcohol the bar had, so I guess that's more my fault." Lumi stared in surprise at Amanda, her eyes wide at the Jaguar's words.

"You know, I wanted to invite you for a night out, but I think that would be a bad idea." Lumi remarked, Amanda arching an eyebrow at that. "What? I do not want to end up like that!" Lumi defended, Amanda laughing at her words.

"Lumi, I'm not that cruel. I only did it because he said he could do it. So, long as you make no bets, we wouldn't have anything to worry about." Amanda said reassuringly, Lumi thinking.

"How's Outback sound, whenever you want?"

" _God,_ _yes_!" Amanda couldn't have sounded more excited if she tried. She cleared her throat awkwardly. "Is there anything else you wanted to know?" She asked, Lumi leaning her head back as she thought.

"I suppose...do you know anything about how he grew up?" Lumi asked, Is shifting under her outfit.

"That's adorable." Is' ear twitched at the words, and Lumi cast a small warning filled look at Amanda. "But not much, really. He didn't really like to discuss it, though he did tell me he didn't have a bad kithood per say, but he just grew up a lot faster than he would have liked. He liked to play with the kits in the complex sometimes, said it gave him an idea of what he missed out on. He never said it like he was jealous of them, though. I think...he was attracted to the idea of staying a kit as long as you could. It'd explain some of his behaviors, actually. He could act so like a kit when he wanted. But I never really begrudged him because of it. I could see he needed it. He used to quote Ten, or was it Eleven? Anyway, he used to quote one of those two when something would happen to make a kit sad when they found out. He always made sure they had the time of their lives before they found out. When a parent asked him why, he would always say 'Because what's the point of making them happy when they're just going to be sad later? The answer is, of course, because they're going to be sad later.' He made it crystal clear he would be there for every one of the kits if they needed him to be. He was sort of like an emergency hug station, really." Amanda said, smiling at the memories.

"Huh. Just goes to show how little we all knew him." Lumi said, gesturing to her outfit to show she meant everyone in the Brotherhood.

"Honestly, I think only Fantasma knew everything about his own life. He never really cared for sharing his past. It usually took a while to coax any information from him, and even then he only shared enough to answer the question. It was so infuriating but so much fun at the same time, and I think that's what I loved most about him." Amanda said, a small smile making it's way to her lips again.

"If you do not mind me asking Amanda, but is Zaqueu...his?" Lumi asked, Amanda chuckling.

"I was waiting for that question, honestly. But yes, he is. Zaqueu is from a one night stand, both of us drunk obviously, about seven years ago. He thinks Fantasma is his father though and..." Amanda trailed off, her eyes moistening a little. "Oh god, how am I going to tell him? He'll be devastated."

"Make sure he has some fun before you tell him. Do whatever you have to do to lessen the impact." Lumi said, casting a quick glance at the hallway.

"But...why?" Amanda asked, Lumi casting her a small, quick grin.

"The answer is, of course, because he is going to be sad later." Lumi answered, standing up from the love seat with Is still firmly inside her outfit.

"Where are you going?" Amanda asked, gaze following Lumi as she stood.

"I think me and my mate have imposed on you enough. We should be going." Lumi said, Amanda standing quickly.

"Nonsense, Lumi. Stay as long as you like." Amanda said, Lumi hesitating.

"We really should get home to Aukusta, though..." Lumi said, eyeing the door.

"Who?" Amanda asked, her head tilted slightly.

"Our daughter. She is only less than a year old, and I get angsty leaving her alone too long." Lumi answered, biting her lip nervously. Amanda sighed, looking away.

"I understand. Just be careful. Your enemies don't seem to play fair." Amanda said, Lumi nodding.

"No...they don't." She agreed, walking past the Jaguar and pausing at the door. "Hang in there Amanda. You still have mammals who depend on and need you." Lumi said, sending a warm smile over her shoulder before exiting.

Amanda waited for the door to close before letting out a sad sigh.

"Mom? Who was that?" Amanda froze at the voice, before letting out a deep breath and turning.

"Zaqueu, why aren't you asleep?" She asked, the kit looking away sheepishly.

"I heard you talking. Where's dad?" The kit asked, Amanda's breath catching briefly at the words.

"He, uh...had something he had to do. Said a friend needed his help with something." Amanda lied, sending a reassuring smile at her son.

"Okay. Night, mom." Zaqueu said, turing to go back to his room. Amanda let out a sigh, not believing she was actually going to do it.

"Zaqueu, wait a moment." She said, her kit turning. "Uh, how does a day of whatever you want sound tomorrow?" She asked, the kit nodding tiredly.

"Sure, mom." He said, walking into his room and closing the door.

Amanda waited for a moment before she walked into the kitchen, grabbing the key to the wine cabinet. She needed a drink.

Judy entered Precinct One the morning after Fantasma's death, her eyes carrying a haunted look as she passed Clawhauser, Nick right behind her.

"Hey Judy, how are..." The words died on Clawhauser's tongue when she ignored him, the heavyset Cheetah casting a worried glance at Nick.

"You'll hear about it soon Ben. Don't worry." Nick said, Clawhauser's eyebrows furrowing as he tried to think of what could rattle _the_ Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde so badly that they were this subdued.

Judy entered the Bullpen, Nick barely catching the door on its return trip to its closed position.

They both jumped into their chair only moments before Bogo entered the Bullpen, the Bovine greeted by the usual orgy of noise.

"Alright, alright, settle down!" Bogo shouted, the noise ceasing immediately as he cast a discreet glance at Nick and Judy. "There was a shootout at the Tundra Town shipping port last night. Eleven mammals killed, all by a high caliber weapon, likely a rifle in the four sixteen or fifty caliber ranges. The resulting carnage was...not pretty." Bogo said, all the officers in the Bullpen possessing grim looks. "Hopps, Wilde, you have first response."

"Yes, sir." Judy said, her normal cheerfulness subdued enough for Fangemeyer three seats down to cast her a worried glance.

"Hope you haven't ate yet. Those bullets can do some serious damage to a body no matter the size. Especially the rifle versions." Rhinowhitz said, the massive Rhino the one Judy had greeted on her first day.

The rest of the assignments were given out quickly, thankfully none of the others questioning the fact most of them were no closer than half a mile to the site, with only a few allowed to join Judy and Nick at the shipping port.

Judy exited the Bullpen, Nick right behind her as usual, and made to move past Clawhauser's desk when he politely stopped her.

"I heard about what happened to Fantasma, Judy. I'm sorry." He said, Judy looking away as she tried to hold down her emotions until she was out of sight.

"He was so close, Ben. Those bastards took his mate, and they pretended to let him rescue her, and then they killed him. I just can't understand why. Was it to prove a point? There just...wasn't a _reason_ for it." Judy said, her body beginning to shake from the effort she was putting in to keep herself from allowing her emotions to show.

"I know. Go show them what happens when you mess with the Brotherhood, Judy." Ben said, Judy nodding.

"I will." She said, taking a deep breath and walking away towards the garage.

She opened the car door, hopped in, made sure everything and everyone was secure, then drove off to the Tundra Town shipping port.

Judy pulled the cruiser into the shipping port, pulling to a stop.

"What do you want to do about Fantasma's body?" Nick asked, Judy biting her lip in thought. They'd been forced to leave it, officers already within a mile of the shipping port when they'd left.

"We have no choice but to include it. If we don't it'll look suspicious." Judy answered, opening a small cubby in the cruiser's middle compartment. "You may want to put a mask on." Judy advised, holding on of the little white objects out to Nick. He took it, intent on letting it dangle around his neck until they got to the scene.

"Fine, but that means the po-po will be onto us." Nick said, opening his door and hopping out. Judy did the same on her side, joining him as they began to walk.

"I know that, Nick. We don't have a choice though. Maybe if we can find any evidence of the Templar Cross on the others, we can find a way to get the other cops to help us, in a way." Judy said, Nick going silent at her words, as if contemplating them.

"That may just work." He finally conceded, the arena the Templars had put together coming into view.

They came to the wall of containers, looking around. They decided to walk around the sides to check for an entrance, Judy heading around the left side and Nick heading around the right side.

Nick made it roughly halfway to the other side before he found something. He reached for his radio when it suddenly squawked.

"You found anything, Slick?" Judy asked, Nick scoffing as he pulled the radio free and depressing the button to talk.

"Looks like an entrance. About halfway to the opposite side from the starting point." He answered, replacing the radio to it's position and waiting.

He didn't have to wait long.

"Huh. Wonder how we missed that." Judy remarked, making him jump.

"Jeez Carrots, you need to stop sneaking up on me." He remarked, turning to her.

"Yeah yeah, let's go." Judy said, walking into the gap easily. Nick, being slightly larger than her, had to squeeze himself through with only minor difficulty.

Once on the other side, he affixed the mask to his muzzle before the smell could reach him, though he could still smell it faintly through the mask's citrus-scented cloth.

He always hated the fact they smelled like citrus, though he understood the necessity of it. Mammals like him had sensitive olfactory senses, and something like what lay before him would send any mammal with such a good sense of smell to the ground.

"We have a few minutes still. Let's see what we can find on the Templars." Nick said, squatting down next to the Hart as Judy moved to the other mammals.

With a small groan of disgust, Nick raised a collar on the shirt the Hart wore, about to lower it when his eye caught the glint of metal. He reached down and pulled it free, exposing a necklace with the Templar Cross hanging from it. He placed it dead center on the Hart's chest, then looked around. He stood, making his way to where Judy was looking at the corpse of a Tiger.

"Find anything?" Judy asked, keeping her gaze on the Tiger.

"Oh, just a necklace with the Templar Cross on it." Nick answered, Judy nodding to show she heard.

"Go find the sniper. He's likely somewhere up high." Judy said, waving Nick off as she reached out and pulled a necklace from inside the Tiger's coat.

"Aye aye, captain." Nick said mockingly, beginning to walk towards the wall of containers.

"Lieutenant." Judy said with an annoyed tone, Nick waving to show he heard.

At the foot of the wall of containers, Nick frowned. He looked for any pockmarks for a few moments before he shook his head. Pulling the newly minted Grip Gloves from the small compartment on his belt, he pulled them on and carefully placed them against the metal above his head and pulled, feeling his hind paws rise off the ground.. He nodded and began to climb.

He pulled himself up and onto the top container, coming muzzle to rifle barrel with a rifle. He yelped and instinctively covered his face, paws coming free from the container as he slid back over the edge.

"Nick!" Judy shouted, Nick slamming a paw against the container as he fell. The Grip Glove caught, wrenching him to a stop and driving all the air from his body as his back slammed against the container.

" _Crap_." He whined in pain, dragging the word out as he looked down. He'd stopped himself only five feet from the ground.

"You okay, Nick?" Judy asked, looking up at him in worry.

"Just _peachy_ Carrots." Nick answered, struggling to turn himself around. When he did so, he resumed climbing.

Nick inched his head up over the ledge, eyeing down the rifle only a foot away. When he saw the body next to it, he looked away with a grimace as he pulled himself up the rest of the way.

"Find something?" Judy shouted, Nick turning so he didn't have to look at what a fifty caliber bullet did to an Antelope.

"I found our sniper! Likely a fifty caliber wound to the skull that continued down his back!" Nick shouted, shaking his head as he turned. The bullet from Jacob's rifle had completely bisected the Antelope from head to toe, leaving the head popped like an overripe melon and the body in two pieces, various organs and bones randomly showing.

"I think the others are here! I'll go get them!" Judy shouted, Nick waving her off, unable to talk as he stared at the carnage wrought by a single bullet. Feeling the burning sensation in his throat, he pulled off the mask and turned, vomiting away from the corpse on his paws and knees.

In a matter of seconds, Nick had drained his stomach of it's contents and now hovered over it coughing, eyes closed, and visibly shaking as he tried to breath evenly. He finally managed to slow his heartbeat down to a relatively normal level, standing slowly and shambling away from the body.

"Ugh, I thought that Bug Burga smelled funny." He said jokingly, not even caring that nobody but him heard it.

A moment later and he was back to normal, standing atop the containers with his muzzle buried in the crook of his arm to battle against the stench from the bodies.

Seeing Judy enter the arena, he shook his head and carefully began to descend to the ground. Dropping the last few feet, he turned to see a small contingent of mammals ranging from CSI to officers, and he walked up to Judy.

"You okay, Nick?" She asked, noting how he seemed to wobble in place, if only slightly.

"Yeah, I think our last meal didn't agree with me though." He said, pantomiming puking with his paw.

"Please tell me you didn't puke on the body." Judy said, Nick scoffing quietly.

"You wound me, Carrots. No, I did not puke on the body. I was a bit more careful, despite the taste it had while I held it back." He said, Judy making a face of disgust at that.

"That's gross. Anyway, Fangemeyer says we can go. Her, Wolford, and CSI have it under control." Judy said, Nick stiffening slightly at the mention of the Wolf officer. He cast a glance around, gaze locking onto the officer he was looking for.

A few feet away, Wolford crouched over the body of Fantasma, his gaze straight on the Brotherhood symbol on Fantasma's bracer.

"We may have an issue." Nick said quietly, Judy following his gaze.

"Oh, that's right. Danny said Wolford was the one that saw him, didn't he?" Judy asked, her memory only then catching up.

"Yeah. That means he's gonna get curious. Curious is bad." Nick said, Wolford looking up to catch their gaze, and he beckoned them over. When his gaze went back to the bracer, Nick and Judy shared a look of dread as they approached.

"Hey Wilde, Hopps. So, I was wondering, do you know what this means?" He asked, pointing at the Brotherhood symbol.

"Can't say I've seen it before. You?" Nick answered, Wolford nodding.

"Yeah, once. Apparently, Bogo has a CI inside the group. I don't know what they would want with these mammals, though." Wolford said, gaze flicking towards the Hart. He did a double take, gaze resting on the Templar Cross.

"Now what is that?" Judy asked, her curiosity believable.

"Not sure. This is starting to look like a gang war, though I don't know where they could get such a high powered rifle." Wolford said, frowning.

"They're only a few grand, at select buyers." Nick commented, Wolford looking up at him.

"You mean the Black Market?" He said, Nick looking vaguely hurt by the question.

"No, I mean any gun store that can afford to stock the rifles and ammo." He said, Wolford looking away sheepishly at the rebuke.

"Sorry, Wilde. I didn't mean to imply anything." He said, Judy glancing at Nick.

"It's fine Howler." Nick said, Wolford wincing at the name.

"Okay, I deserve that. Guess we better pay a visit to Jim's, though."

 **And that does it for Chapter 23 of Zootopian Assassins! I hope you guys enjoyed, because holy Jesus I am enjoying getting the plot going. I'm thinking about doing two other Zootopia projects after this, and then focusing on my other stories. One focused on WildeMeyer just because my Armada just keeps growing. The other is one where different species of mammals have different powers of Kinesis and similar powers. Such as Red Foxes having Pyrokinesis and/or Pyromancy, Arctic Foxes having Cryokinesis and/or Cryomancy, and Gray Foxes having Typhokinesis, which is the ability to manipulate smoke. Vampire Bats would, naturally, have Hemokinesis, the ability to manipulate blood. I'm thinking Rabbits and Hares would have Phychokinesis as a defense mechanism, though limited to moving objects and other mammals. Maybe Polar Bears would have Hydrokinesis. I'm still working on distributing the various powers and coming up with a name, so I'd appreciate suggestions. Anyway, that's enough of that, I'll see you guys...next update. Word Count: 5,251**


	25. The Investigation Continues

**Hey guys Price here and welcome to Chapter 24 of Zootopian Assassins! I should probably come up with Chapter names** ** _before_** **I get to uploading them, but I tend to just write random stuff in between getting from Point A to Point B. As you guys already know, I decided to name Chapter 22 – the one where Fantasma gets killed – Exorcism. The reason being is Fantasma is Portuguese for Phantom or Ghost, and you Exorcise a Ghost to get rid of it, so I thought it seemed like a fitting title. I hope it makes sense now. And also as mentioned in the End AN of Chapter 22 and made obvious with the Antelope's wound last Chapter, I fully intend on earning the Mature rating with violence alone. That means, expect to see a lot of detailed deaths, most incredibly violent and/or detailed. Probably both, actually. I'm leaning between three Characters being an Associate, and they've all been give the chance to become one this Arc. This Chapter begins with Lumi's POV at her day job at Jim's Gun Store, and will mainly follow her POV throughout the Chapter. Sorry to all you people who like Nick and Judy, but I write Lumi and Is better. Anyway, this is getting long enough, it's time to get...onto the story!**

Lumi opened the door to enter Jim's Gun Store, the place she had worked at for the past sixteen or so years. She was content with it, and she clearly enjoyed working there. The fact she could make any gun sound like it was the best of guns if used properly and by somebody who knew what they were doing probably helped of course, but she had learned rather quickly many mammals wouldn't trust a Fox to sell them something unless they made it seem better than it was. She didn't like to do it, obviously, but if she had to tell little white lies here and there to keep her job, then so be it. Besides, any gun had the potential to be the best if a mammal trained with it enough.

"Hey, Lumi! How's our little Hustler?" The familiar voice of Jess, the female Wolf that worked the front counter for the regular, non firearm related items they sold as well, asked.

"I told you Jess, I hate that nickname." Lumi said, the Wolf grinning at her.

"Yeah, well it fits." Jess retorted, waving her off with a friendly chuckle.

"Okay, see you later Jess." Lumi said, walking towards the back of the store. She and the Wolf had started off more or less at each other's throats, though they'd eventually gotten to know each other and had gotten to be relatively good friends.

Lumi opened the gate to the counter, opening the door immediately to the right of it without a second thought.

Stepping inside the room, she froze in shock, her eyes wide, at the sight of her boss Jeremy and his mate Luke curled up on the office's couch, both stark naked. As she made to silently step out of the room, she stopped as a floorboard creaked.

The sound of curiosity alerted her to the fact she had been caught.

"Oh god, Lumi!" Jeremy shouted, the sound of something hitting the floor letting her know he had tried to get up, only to fall to the ground.

"I saw nothing." Lumi said quickly, keeping her back to the scene behind her as she quickly exited the office. She quickly went to work making behind the counter workable, moving boxes out of the way and picking up the occasional stray bullet or shell casing.

A few minutes later Jeremy and Luke exited, Lumi putting on a smile and pretending she _hadn't_ seen them in Jeremy's office.

"Hey Lumi." Luke said nervously, Lumi giving him a friendly hug.

"Hey, Luke. How is your brother Jan?" She asked, the Wolf chuckling.

"He's good, he's good. Is?" Luke said, Lumi releasing him.

"He is being fine, a little worried about leaving Aukusta alone, but otherwise perfectly fine." Lumi answered, Luke nodding.

"Good to hear. Uh, listen, do you think you could maybe keep this away from Jess? You know how she gets sometimes." He said, Lumi glancing towards the front desk. She decided to toy with the Wolf, at least for the moment.

"I do not know, you _do_ still owe me twenty bucks and that introduction to your cousin." Lumi said, Luke looking nervous at that.

"You mean Seras? Fine. I can get you the twenty bucks tomorrow. I, uh, kinda left my wallet at home." Luke said, holding up his paws defensively. Lumi pretended to look glare at him coldly before letting it drop to a grin.

"Ah, I am just messing with you Luke. Take your time, I do not mind the wait." She reassured the Wolf, Luke letting out a nervous chuckle.

"Ah, well, I'll see you around Lumi. Tell Is I said hi when you can." Luke said, beginning to walk away.

"I will, Luke. You tell Jan I said hi." She said, waving goodbye to the Wolf before turning to Jeremy.

"Yeah yeah, I know. Relax, it was just some cuddling. I know how much you hate cleaning that couch." Jeremy said, Lumi arching an eyebrow.

"It is not that I hate cleaning the couch, it is that I hate that you will not get a leather one so it does not get so deep into the fabric." Lumi said, Jeremy sighing.

"Lumi, you know a leather couch would so not look good in that office. It would require a total refit, and I know you know this place barely makes enough to pay everybody and keep the building ours." Jeremy said, Lumi sighing dejectedly.

"I know, Jeremy, but that does not explain why you will not let me pay for it. I have enough saved up, you know that." Lumi said, Jeremy shaking his head.

"Sorry Lumi, but I can't let you place your money into my business. What if you need it for something else, and you don't have it because you wasted it on trying to refit my office?" Jeremy asked, spreading his arms out questioningly.

"God, you are worse than my father. He would not let me pay for anything of his after he lost his arm. Jeremy, you know I just look out for my friends." Lumi said tiredly, already beginning to become drained by the conversation.

"I know, Lumi. I'm sorry, but I can't in good conscious accept the money. Sorry, but that's my final answer." Jeremy said, Lumi shaking her head.

"Jeremy, it is literally only a grand for the couch, paint, carpet, and maybe a desk. Considering I save up most of my paychecks, I could literally refurbish the office five times over." Lumi said pointedly, Jeremy sighing pointedly.

"I'll...think about it." He said, Lumi nodding in understanding.

"Thank you." Lumi said, turning back to the counter. Jeremy took it as the conversation ender it was and entered his office, likely to make sure it didn't smell too bad and clean in if it did.

An hour passed – with Jeremy coming back out to the counter during that period – before the sound of the doorbell ringing caught Lumi's attention, and she looked up towards the front desk. She noted the Puma, felt her sense of foreboding rise, and her own paw rested on the Walther at her hip.

She flashed a smile at the Puma, hoping to have him lower his guard, as he approached.

"Hello sir, what can I interest you in?" Jeremy asked, looking up at the Puma from his book with a warm, greeting smile.

"I was wondering if you had any ammunition in the fifty caliber range. My friends like to shoot random things with their rifle. Bricks, jugs, mammals they don't like." He said the last part with a small chuckle, showing it was supposed to be a joke, though Lumi kept her gaze on him. Her distrust was obvious, and he kept stealing glances at her as he spoke.

"Nah, sorry buddy. Some Hart bought all we had the other day, and the stock isn't refreshed for another week." Jeremy said, Lumi whipping her gaze to him, her eyes wide. Her gaze flicked back to the Puma before Jeremy noticed her, but her heartbeat noticeably increased at the words.

As she glanced at his chest, however, the necklace fell into view. She froze, drawing Jeremy's attention to her when she let out a small sound of shock.

"Something wrong, Lumi?" Jeremy asked, both his and the Puma's eyes locked onto her.

"Huh? Oh, sorry. Just a sudden feeling of vertigo. You mind if I sit in your office for a moment?" She asked, feigning wooziness.

"Go right ahead." Jeremy said, turning back to the Puma. "Anything else you need?" He asked as Lumi stepped past him, entering his office. She didn't hear his response, having closed the door, and immediately walked over to the couch. She didn't sit down though, thinking it better safe than sorry.

She pulled her phone from her pocket and hovered over Judy's contact information, wondering if she'd have her phone on during duty. Deciding to risk it, she pressed call.

" _Hello?"_ Judy's voice asked, Lumi drawing a deep breath.

"There's a Templar here. He asked for ammunition in the fifty caliber range, and Jeremy told him that a Hart bought all we had not long ago." She said, silence coming from the other end. And then, a voice she didn't recognize.

" _What's a Templar, Hopps?"_ Somebody asked, Lumi's breath catching. Oh no.

" _Not sure, Wolford. Lumi, could you explain?"_ Judy asked, Lumi silently cursing herself.

" _I think she means like those guys from the Crusades. You know, with the red crosses and stuff. She might just have seen some mammal with a red cross on an article of clothing and thought of that. She's a history nerd."_ Nick's voice answered for her, Lumi breathing a sigh of relief.

" _Is the mammal suspicious looking?"_ The voice Judy had called Wolford asked.

"Possibly, sir. I'm at Jim's Gun Store." Lumi said, silence coming from the other end for a moment at that.

" _We're on our way, ma'am. Keep him there if possible."_ Wolford said, Lumi disconnecting the call with a reassurance she would try, then exited Jeremy's office with a sigh of relief.

"Hey Lumi, you okay now?" Jeremy asked, Lumi seeing the Puma looking at some sidearms a ways down the counter.

"Yeah Jeremy, fine." She said with a smile, approaching the Puma with a warm smile. "See something you like?" She asked, the Puma looking up.

"Well, you're pretty nice, but I don't think it's legal to buy other mammals." The Puma said, making Lumi genuinely chuckle at that.

"Sorry to say sir, but I am happily mated and married with a daughter. Besides, no offense, but you are a bit big for me." She said, the Puma arching an eyebrow at her words. "Er, not like that. Sorry, I meant just in terms of body height." She added with a nervous chuckle, trying to seem embarrassed.

"Ah, no worry. Though you mentioned you're married, but I don't see a ring. I'm no expert on Fox culture, mind you, but don't married couples usually have rings?" The Puma asked, Lumi shaking her head.

"Foxes tend to mate for life anyway, so we tend to think of marriage as just a superficial thing. Something for the official record mostly, so not really necessary. Me and my husband just decided to do it since he thought my father would like it and it appeased to his own culture. The reason for no rings is just because we agreed they were not really needed, plus cold metal does not really agree with skin." Lumi said, the Puma nodding in understanding.

"I see. You live in Tundra Town, then?" He asked, Lumi nodding.

"Yep. I grew up in Finland, and the cold of Tundra Town agreed with me more than any of the other Districts so I moved there. Now, is there anything else you would like to look at?" Lumi asked, the Puma frowning in thought.

"Well, nothing I can think of off the top of my head, so I think I'll come back later. See you in a week." He said, casting a friendly smile and turning. That was when he saw the three officers approaching. "Tch. Figures." He said, leaning against the counter.

"Sir, we need to ask you some questions." Judy said, the Puma nodding.

"Sure, officer. Can I ask what this pertains to?" He asked, placing his paws on the counter to either side of him.

"An ongoing investigation involving the shootout at the Tundra Town shipping port last night. Any jewelry on you?" The Wolf officer, likely Wolford, asked.

"Just a necklace. It's a family heirloom." The Puma answered, flashing the necklace at them, likely thinking they wouldn't know anything about it. Apparently, he'd never heard that assumptions could be deadly in the wrong circumstances. He may as well have signed the death warrant himself.

Wolford asked a few more questions, then glanced at Nick questioningly.

"Thank you sir, that'll be all. Now, turn around please." Nick said, twirling his finger in the air.

"Of course, officer. Though I'm not sure what my necklace could have to do with what happened at the shipping port." The Puma said, Wolford hesitating a moment as he placed the pawcuffs on.

"Who said it had anything to do with your little _heirloom_?" Judy asked, the Puma's eyes widening as he realized his mistake. He recovered fairly quickly, however.

"Well, last I checked the police don't ask about jewelry. So if it isn't that, what else could it be?" The Puma asked, a somewhat smug grin on his muzzle.

"Yeah yeah, let's go." Nick said, grabbing the Puma's elbow crook and walking him towards the door.

When they had left, Jeremy placed down his book and looked at Lumi.

"So, care to explain that?" He asked, gesturing towards the doors.

"Maybe they came to ask us some questions for something." Lumi suggested, shrugging as she turned and leaned over the display case in the counter. "Ugh." She muttered when she saw the dust on some of the sidearms, making a mental note to clean them before she left.

"It would seem your hunch was right, Lumi." Jeremy said behind her, Lumi glancing at him questioningly. He gestured to the door and she cast a glance that way, seeing Wolford and Nick reenter the building.

"Hm. Lucky guess." Lumi said, smiling politely at the two male officers as they approached.

"Which one of you is the owner of the building?" Wolford asked, Jeremy standing up.

"That would be me, officer. Jeremy Valentine, at your service." He said, smiling politely.

"Well, Mr. Valentine, we need to ask you a few questions regarding a sale you might have made in the past. Has anybody come in with a white emblem and a red cross on their shoulder come in recently looking for fifty caliber rifles or ammo?" Wolford asked, Jeremy pausing as he thought.

"Yeah, actually. A Hart came in a few months ago. Bought all five of the Bearrett eight twos we had in stock, then bought the ammo a few days ago. Why?" Jeremy asked, tilting his head in questioning.

"We suspect the Hart may have been involved in some form of gang or something similar in nature." Nick answered, Jeremy looking shocked at that.

"Oh, officers I assure you I had no idea!" Jeremy said, Lumi glancing at Nick briefly.

"It's fine Mr. Valentine, we know. We just need to know who you sold it to." Wolford said reassuringly, Jeremy nodding hesitantly.

"Let me check the logs, officer. I'll be right back." Jeremy said, ducking into his office quickly.

"So Lumi, how are you?" Nick asked, leaning against the counter slightly. "Haven't seen you for almost a year."

"Oh, I am being good, Nick. I have a daughter, now." She said, Nick looking happy at that.

"Really!? Oh my god that's amazing Lumi!" He exclaimed, Wolford chuckling.

"Yeah, took her and Is to meet my father when we got back from Bunny Burrow. Everything went surprisingly well." She said, Nick pretending to look surprised by that.

"Wait, you and Is got together? Geez, Lumi, I wouldn't have taken you for a Prey kinda Vixen." Nick said jokingly, Wolford arching an eyebrow.

"I thought you didn't mind those kinds of relationships, Wilde." He remarked, Nick scoffing.

"Of course I don't mind them, Wolford! I just didn't expect Lumi to hook up with her Hare friend." he explained, the Wolf looking at Lumi in surprise at that.

"We have known each other for almost twenty years, Nick. We have had certain dreams about each other for almost that amount of time. I am more surprised we did not get together sooner." Lumi said, Wolford arching both eyebrows at that.

"You're still talking about...uh, what was their name again?" He asked, scratching his head briefly.

"Is, and he is being male. And yes, I am." Lumi answered, Jeremy exiting his office before any of the three mammals could say anything else.

"Here they are, the logs for everything within the past few months for the fifty caliber ammo and rifles bought. I have a few more from the years but I don't think they'll be much help." Jeremy said, handing a few papers to Nick before glancing at Wolford. "I can get them if you think otherwise, though."

"Please." Wolford said, Jeremy nodding and reentering his office.

"Hey, lookey here. A Hart by the name of Tubalcain Alhambra – likely forged – bought five rifles and around a hundred clips." Nick said, Lumi's eye twitching slightly.

"It is magazine, sir. Guns do not use clips anymore." She said, Nick glancing up at her. Wolford looked both amused and shocked that Lumi would correct Nick, but otherwise chose to remain neutral.

"Thank you for the information, miss..." Wolford trailed off.

"Keto, sir. Lumi Keto." She said, smiling warmly.

"Well, miss Keto, Is sounds like a very lucky mammal to have a gun professional as his mate." Nick said teasingly, Lumi blushing slightly even though it was obvious he was merely keeping up appearances.

"Funny you should say that, actually, because he's scheduled to come in any moment." Lumi said, the front door ringing as she spoke, Wolford turning around.

"Hm, wonder if that's him there." He remarked, Lumi visibly perking at that.

"If you could excuse me a moment." Lumi said politely, stepping from behind the counter.

"I like her. We could use a mammal that knows a bit about guns on the force." Wolford said, glancing at Nick. He looked surprise at that, looking at Wolford.

"Hm." Was all Nick said, tilting his head.

Lumi approached Is, the Hare smiling when he saw her.

"Hey, Lumi. How're you?" He asked, gaze flicking behind her.

"Is, it has only been an hour, maybe two since I left. The only thing that happened was a Puma came in looking for fifty cal ammunition. Had the cross." Lumi said, Is wincing at that.

"I was wondering why there were cops here." He said, eyes resting on Nick.

"Pretend it's been awhile. Like when we first got back from Bunny Burrow." Lumi said, Is nodding and following her as she walked back to the counter.

"So, you must be...Is?" Wolford asked when they got back behind the counter, Is hopping up onto it. It would hold, of that they had faith in.

"That is correct. Sir." Is said, arms behind his back and a small smile on his muzzle.

"Well, I can't say I expected a _Hare_ , per se, but I can't really say I have a problem with it. Though I imagine it isn't very easy." Wolford said, Is shrugging.

"It only gets harder when you have a kit." Lumi remarked, Wolford's eyes widening at that. He opened his mouth to speak, closed it, then made a face like he was trying to imagine how that would work.

"Okay." Was all he finally said, apparently stumped. Lumi chuckled a small bit, finding amusement in his confusion.

"Though we still don't know if she would be called a Hox or a Fare. We think Fare sounds better, though." Is said, Wolford raising his eyebrows quickly in agreement and tilting his head.

"Yeah, I'd stick with Fare. Hox is too close to Hoax for my tastes." He said, Lumi glancing at Is.

"That is what I said. He quickly agreed." Lumi said, gesturing to Is.

"Alright, got the rest of the files! Oh, hey Is. Just get in?" Jeremy suddenly said, the door Lumi surprised by it. She hadn't heard him approaching the door.

"Yep. How's Luke?" Is asked, Jeremy blushing and turning to Nick and Wolford. Lumi chuckled and placed the back of her paw against her muzzle to stifle it. "I miss something?" Is asked, looking confused.

"You could say that." Was all Lumi said before Is' attention was caught by the sound of the doorbell ringing.

"Hm. Wonder who that is." He remarked, tilting his head.

"Thanks for helping us, sir. We appreciate it." Nick said as Jeremy passed him the files, nearly dropping them. He managed to save it, and flashed them an awkward grin. He turned to Wolford, jerked his head, and the two officers left.

"Well that was interesting." Jeremy said when the door closed behind them, glancing at Lumi and Is. "Know anything about that?" He asked, pointing towards the door with an arched eyebrow.

Lumi shrugged, shaking her head.

"Nah, sorry." Is said, Jeremy frowning like he didn't believe them. He didn't press it though. "What'd they need, anyway?" He asked, gesturing to the door.

"Something about what happened at the shipping port in Tundra Town last night. Apparently, there was a shootout or something. A fifty had something to do with it, they think." Jeremy said, shrugging like he wasn't sure.

"And they think the mammals involved bought the guns here?" Is asked incredulously, his eyes wide.

"To be fair, we _are_ the only gun shop licensed to sell weapons in that caliber within almost five hundred miles." Lumi pointed out, earning stares from both Jeremy and Is. She glanced between them, suddenly a little self conscious. "What? I do my research." She said, Jeremy and Is glancing at each other before shrugging.

"Okay, but they still could've gotten the guns online." Jeremy said, sounding to Lumi like he was trying to deny any responsibility.

"Sorry, Jeremy. All online purchases are marked and tracked to the payment source and the account owner with that kind of stuff. So it is being incredibly likely the mammals purchased the guns from here." Lumi said, Jeremy scowling.

"You weren't kidding about doing your research." He said, Lumi shaking her head.

"She makes it a priority to know as much as she can when she goes into something. Well, most things." Is said, glancing at her at the last part.

"I did my research on that, just not...conventional research." Lumi said with a small whine, crossing her arms and looking away.

"Lumi, I don't think videos on the internet count as _research_." Is remarked, Jeremy covering his muzzle with his paw to muffle his laugh as Lumi went wide eyed and gaped at him.

"How did you find out about that!?" She practically shouted, staring at Is in shock.

"I'm pretty certain you admitted as much at the hospital a little over a year ago." Is answered, a laugh escaping Jeremy's muzzle at Lumi's expression. The glare she sent in retaliation ended it before it could go any further, however.

"I did not think you would actually check to confirm." Lumi muttered into her paws as she sat down, thoroughly embarrassed.

"What's this I hear about Lumi and internet videos?" Jess asked, suddenly on the opposite side of the counter. Lumi froze, looking up at Jeremy pleadingly. Her silent pleas were answered with a smirk, and Lumi felt that familiar need to hit something. Preferably followed by choking and or beating the crap out of said object, be it a wall, a training dummy, or literally anything else that could be malleable and satisfying to hit.

"Oh, just Lumi and Is talking about the _research_ they did before they got together." Jeremy said.

"Oh, they're a thing? Pity, I kinda wanted to try Is for myself." Lumi felt an anger grow at the words, something she hadn't felt in such an intensity since she had rescued Is back in Bunny Burrow. The next thing she new she was on the ground, Is placing a knee gently but sternly against her throat and Jeremy and Jess looking at her in shock.

"Um...what is happening?" She asked, looking at Is in confusion.

"You kinda went psycho Fox on us. Kinda freaky." Jess answered, Lumi blinking in confusion.

"Huh." Lumi said, eyebrows creased as she tried to recall what had happened.

"I get the feeling she's a bit more... _protective_ than you thought." Jess remarked, Is casting a glance behind him at the Wolf.

"Oh, protective is the word you're using is it?" He asked, anger lacing his words for a moment.

"Hey! I had a Fox who, normally, is as nice as can be suddenly ready to rip me to pieces! Give me a break!" Jess exclaimed, Is keeping his gaze on her for a moment before turning back to Lumi.

"I can let you up now, right?" He asked, Lumi nodding. "Good. Because this is getting awkward." He said, Lumi catching sight of what he meant briefly before he stood.

"We are so exploring that later." She said as she stood, dusting off her shirt and pants.

"Hm, I'd like to see that." Jess said, Is glancing at Lumi. Her eyes were narrowed, the pupils a tiny bit shrunken and more thin.

"Yeah, maybe don't antagonize the Fox that wanted to tear you to pieces by talking about me in that kind of way." Is said, Lumi blinking and looking at him.

"Good idea." Jeremy said, turning to Jess. "Shoo. Go back to the front desk." He said, Jess growling playfully before turning and walking away.

"She realizes Foxes are _incredibly_ possessive, right?" Lumi asked, watching the female Wolf walk away.

"You do realize you're talking about Jess, right?" Is asked in answer, Jeremy making a small noise of amusement.

"Good point."

Nick stepped into the morgue, approximately two hundred feet below Precinct One for security purposes. Seemed a little over the top to Nick, but at least they were being careful.

"Ah, officer Wilde. Good to see you. I assume Bogo sent you for my report." The Medical Officer, a Porcupine who everybody just called Doc as what Nick presumed was an in joke, said.

"He did indeed, DuFresne. Said you may have an ID on the two mammals found next to each other in the center of the, uh, arena." Nick said, making a show of pausing as he searched for a word to describe the encircled space.

"Indeed I do. The one with the unknown symbol on the bracers came out as a Fantasma Sousa, I think I'm saying that right, and the other as a Tubalcain Alhambra. Apparently that's his actual name, not forged." Doc said, Nick arching an eyebrow.

"Hm. I wonder if the guy has magic cards." Nick remarked, Doc's eyes lighting up briefly at the words.

"And magic paws." Doc said, earning a snort of amusement from Nick.

"Ah, I love that series. Wish they'd get off their tails and air another episode though." Nick said, earning an annoyed scoff from Doc.

"Oh my god, I _know_ right? It's turning into another of the actual series." Doc said, shaking his head.

"I hope not. Now, about that report...?" Nick trailed off, Doc nodding quickly and moving behind a small wall of computer towers.

"Right. Sorry, but I...ah, dangit! That idiot Delano messed up the system again! I'll be right back." Doc said, muttering something under his breath as he walked from the room. Nick waited for his pawsteps to fade before he looked at Fantasma's covered body.

He closed his eyes, finding it hard to believe the Black Panther was actually dead despite having watched it happen.

"I promise you, Fantasma, that I will find whoever ordered your death. And I will bleed that bastard for every mammal he took you from. Your mate, your kit, _every. Single. One._ I swear on my life to that. I will not stop until whoever ordered your death is dead and gone. And they will suffer, just as you and those you loved did." Nick said, his squeezing paws making the thin metal table creak and groan as he applied pressure. "And then, I'll tell everyone in the Precinct the whole story. I'll make your death mean something, buddy." Unaware the Ibexpad a few feet away was still recording, Nick waited in silence after speaking for Doc to return.

 **And that about does it for this Chapter! I hope you guys enjoyed, because I actually broke away from writing this to write the first Chapter to my next big Zootopia project, which you obviously know about because I posted that Chapter the day after I finished writing this Chapter. Just to see what you guys thought. I have an idea for other mammals and their forms of Kinesis, but I don't know what powers to give to a majority of mammals. I'll try to keep it small and to what mammals and forms of Kinesis feature in the fic, but ideas would be appreciated nonetheless in case of future installments in that possible series. And I will upload those Where Are They Now Oneshots before I get started on my other project, don't worry. I may write a sequel to this eventually but I wouldn't get my hopes up. I hope that one day this AU will get some kind of following, because I feel people like Selaxes and other, much better writers than me could do this kind of Crossover some serious justice. Maybe I'll write a short Arrow Crossover with Zootopia in the future. Who knows. My imagination could run wild and spawn something good or it may flounder and I'll just have to abandon that idea. Also, do you guys like my referencing? It isn't AC this time, but I hope they are at least a little obvious to people who would recognize them. And yes, the plot is cracking down, now. Only about halfway done and I've already possibly shortened the story by at least an Arc if I feel like it. Say who you think the three Associate candidates are in a Review or Comment and you'll see next week, because I plan to reveal them in the next Chapter. And a mammal you guys likely won't expect is a Templar as well, but I won't say who until the big reveal. That'll likely come next Arc or Arc 4 if I don't cut the story down. Anyway, this AN is getting long enough, I will see you guys...next update. Word Count: 5,374**


	26. Associates Pt 1

**Hey guys Price here and welcome to Chapter 25 of Zootopian Assassins! Woo hoo, the halfway point is finally here! God I hate that the ending is so far away because I really want to just rip your feels to shreds with the last Chapter, but just know that it will feature quite a lot of death. On whatever side that may be, I'm honestly still deciding on that. And I will not be keeping civilian casualties from this story. It's Assassin's creed, so you guys who play shouldn't be surprised. Actually, you guys will probably hate me for a few deaths I plan to have in here. There is a specific trope I want to avoid using, but a character I have would require that trope to take effect and I don't want that. So say goodbye to that character soon. Though they haven't been introduced yet, so I'll just kill 'em off likely in the Chapter they are introduced in. You people will call me a sick, depraved individual, and you will likely be right. Anyway, enough of the doom and gloom, this Chapter will introduce the three Associate candidates. At least one of them will become an Associate, though all three have the ability to become one. Still uncertain on that point until I get there. Anyway, this is getting long enough, I think it's time to get...onto the story!**

Medical Officer Doc stood outside Chief Bogo's office, his Ibexpad clutched in his paws as he waited for the Bovine to call him in.

The door opened suddenly, making Doc jump.

"Come in, Doc." Bogo said, the Porcupine nodding and walking into the office as the door closed behind him.

"Thank you for seeing me Bogo. I think you'll want to hear this." Doc said, climbing into the chair and placing the Ibexpad on the table. "I already have the file in question ready and at the right time." He added, Bogo sitting down across from him. The large Water Buffalo picked up the device and glanced at Doc for permission. The Porcupine nodded and Bogo tapped the screen.

" _I promise you, Fantasma, that I will find whoever ordered your death. And I will bleed that bastard for every mammal he took you from. Your mate, your kit, every. Single. One. I swear on my life to that. I will not stop until whoever ordered your death is dead and gone. And they will suffer, just as you and those you loved did."_ Nick's voice said, small groaning and creaking coming from the device. Bogo assumed he was squeezing something. _"And then, I'll tell everyone in the Precinct the whole story. I'll make your death mean something, buddy."_ Bogo waited for more, and when nothing more came out, he looked at Doc.

"What is this?" He asked, gesturing with the Ibexpad.

"That's what I was hoping you could tell me." Doc said, shrugging. Bogo sighed, rubbing the space between his eyes in annoyance.

"I'll question Wilde. Don't you worry about it." Bogo said, Doc nodding.

"Do you need the Ibexpad, sir, or can I take it?" Doc asked.

"I'll hold onto it for now, Doc. I'll take care of it, don't you worry." Bogo said, Doc nodding and sliding off the chair, walking out of the office without a glance backwards. After a minute of waiting, Bogo picked up the Ibexpad again. It creaked as he held it, before shattering in his grasp as he squeezed.

Now he had to get another one that was exactly like the one in pieces in his grasp, along with the data on it. Great.

Nick stepped into Chief Bogo's office, a manilla folder in his paws as he approached the desk.

"You called, Chief?" He asked, hopping up into the chair.

"You need to make sure that there aren't any devices that may be recording you next time you speak to somebody regarding your night job, Wilde." Bogo said, Nick blinking.

"I don't think I understand, sir." Nick said, tilting his head slightly.

"You promised...Fantasma, I believe his name was, that you'd bleed the bastard that ordered his death. That sound familiar?" Nick blinked in surprise, his expression slowly changing to horror.

"Aw, crap. Who found out?" Nick asked, leaning back and covering his eyes.

"Doc. His Ibexpad recorded your words. Lucky for you he didn't catch on to the fact the one he has now is fresh from the package." Bogo said, Nick groaning.

"Great. I am just an expert on messing things up." Nick said, shaking his head. Bogo waited a moment to let him get over it before he spoke.

"So you said you have some information for me, out with it." He said, his voice a tad harsher than it really should have been.

"Uh, yes sir, I do. Three candidates for the Associates Program." Nick said, placing the folder on the desk and sliding it closer to Bogo. The Bovine flipped it open, arching an eyebrow at the first file. He pulled it out and set it aside, then did the same for the second and third. When he had all three files out, he closed the folder and handed it back to Nick.

"Well, you're certainly confident if you think any of these three mammals would risk themselves and their careers for helping us out." Bogo remarked, Nick shrugging.

"I only make bets when I know I have a high chance of succeeding, Chief. I have a feeling at least one of them will agree." Nick said, a small grin touching his muzzle.

"Fine. Just try not to ruffle up James too much." Bogo said, Nick nodding and hopping from the chair.

"I'm not the one visiting him. That'll be another guy. Though I make no promises about the mammal that'll pay him the visit, I'll pass along your message." Nick said, casting a smart salute behind him as he left. Bogo chuckled to himself before he fed the shredder under his desk.

It was around nine o'clock at night when Jacob's bracer beeped to alert him to a message. Despite refusing the item on several occasions, Judy and Nick had been rather persistent he take it. Just in case, they had said.

" _Grandmaster said yes. Proceed with caution. And Jacob, Grandmaster said not to ruffle up your target too badly."_ Nick's message read, Jacob nodding to himself before replying that he would. He checked his blowgun was loaded with the anesthesia darts, then placed it in its sling on his back. Show time.

He leapt from his perch, grabbing onto the windowsill across from him and dropping to the fire escape a few feet down. He waited, silent, to see if anybody would investigate. When minutes passed and nothing happened, he stood from his crouched position and walked to the end.

He placed his paw on the railing and hopped over it, dropping to where the railing connected to the metal and swung onto the landing below him. He looked around quickly then flexed his claws, wishing sorely that he had the Window Cutter from the safehouse.

Shaking his head, he placed his claws against the window and slowly cut a hole into it with them, pausing every so often to glance around and listen. When he was almost done he pulled one claw free, then dug his paw into the glass and continued with his other paw. When the lines met he pulled, placing it against the metal gently and tugging his claws free.

Jacob placed his paws on the windowsill and slowly lifted his feet off the fire escape. He eased them in, then brought the rest of himself inside silently.

Glancing around, it seemed the place was either deserted or kept meticulously clean. He contemplated activating the flashlight he had, then mentally chastised himself for thinking that.

The paw came from behind, wrapping itself around his throat and pulling him back. Jacob was momentarily stunned, not expecting the attack.

"Who are you?" His target asked, Jacob grinning.

"Sorry about this." Jacob said, swinging his free paw not holding his target's arm inches from constricting his airway into the mammal's crotch. The mammal gasped in pain and Jacob brought his own paw up, catching the underside of their jaw and bending their head back. He brought his left leg back and quickly brought it forward, tripping the mammal up.

The arm left his throat as the mammal went down, and Jacob turned quickly to pin him when the paw caught him in his wolfhood. He squeaked as he went down to a knee, clutching his pained anatomy.

His target stood, cracking their neck and bringing a paw back. They swung for his head, Jacob catching it. The other mammal let out a small noise of shock, and Jacob pulled on the fist, driving his shoulder into their gut and lifting them up. He pushed them off, turning quickly and delivering a kick to their back that sent them skidding across the floor.

"Huh. Expected less from a simple housebreaker." His target said, Jacob grinning.

"Not a simple housebreaker. Just want to send an invitation from the Maestro to you, that's it." Jacob said, his target narrowing their eyes.

"Sorry to disappoint." Was all the mammal said before dashing forward and jumping into the air. He flipped, bringing a leg down in an attempt to kick him. Jacob crossed his arms and caught the leg across the back of the knee, the foot hitting him in the back of the head. He pushed, driving the mammal off balance. He tackled the mammal, quickly bringing his blowgun out.

"Officer James Wolford, you have been appropriated by the Assassin Brotherhood for the time being." Jacob said, pressing the blowgun to Wolford's neck and firing it. Wolford gasped, trying to buck Jacob off frantically before slowly succumbing to the anesthesia. He raised his bracer. _"Target One captured."_ He reported, swiping to send the message and looking down the the unconscious form of James Wolford. "This oughta be fun."

Lumi glanced at Is, the Hare standing next to her as they looked out over the street below them.

"I can not believe we are bringing her into this." Lumi said, Is shrugging.

"It's what the Maestro wants. She's free to say no when we ask her." Is said, Lumi scowling at that.

"She just lost her mate and we are going to ask her to come into the same life that killed him." Lumi said, shaking her head. "It just feels wrong."

"I know, Lumi. Let's just get this done." Is said, Lumi nodding.

"Yeah. Let's."

They both leapt, firing their Rope Launchers and letting themselves fall. When they approached the right window they stopped themselves, both grimacing at the jarring halt.

Lumi knocked on the window, both of them waiting to see if anybody would answer. Is' ears twitched, and he nodded to her. Good, they wouldn't have to break in.

The window opened, Amanda Acosta sticking her head out.

"Lumi? Is? What are you two doing here?" She asked, looking surprised to see them.

"Do you mind if we come in? Zaqueu is being asleep, correct?" Lumi asked, Amanda backing away from the window.

"Of course, of course! Please, do come in. And yes, Zaqueu is asleep." Amanda said, Lumi gesturing for Is to go first. He pushed off from the wall and slipped through the window, Rope Launcher detaching from the roof and whipping past Lumi. Lumi followed her mate, Amanda closing the window behind them.

"Sorry to intrude like this, but the mammal in charge wanted us to ask you some questions." Is said, leaning against the wall a few feet away.

"What about?" Amanda asked, Lumi glancing at her at the Jaguar's tone.

"Nothing to worry about, really. We do need you to come with us, though." Lumi said, managing to make it sound more like a suggestion than an order.

"But, what about my son?" Amanda asked, glancing towards the hallway. "He is still recovering from the news."

"You will not be gone long and there will be no danger. Plus, we have ten Brothers and Sisters watching the complex. No mammal will leave or enter without our knowledge." Lumi said reassuringly, Amanda biting her lip in uncertainty.

"We are not asking you to join our cause, Amanda. But we do need your help." Is said, the female Jaguar looking between Is and Lumi.

"Will what I do help you find out who ordered it?" Amanda asked, Lumi and Is glancing at each other briefly.

"It is being highly likely." Lumi answered, Amanda sighing.

"I want to be back by daybreak." She said, Lumi and Is both hesitating. "What?"

"Well, we were just not expecting you to agree so readily, even with the knowledge it may help bring whoever ordered it to justice. Whatever form that justice may take." Lumi answered, Amanda shrugging.

"I need to do something, Lumi. This gives me that something." She said, walking up to and opening the window. "Now, let us go."

Danny looked down at his bracer as it beeped, reading the message. It was a go, it would seem. He chuckled at the part about Jacob, then glanced around quickly.

"Better get to it." He muttered, casting out his Sense briefly to acquire his target's position once more. Seeing he had begun to approach, Danny fired his Rope Launcher into the edge of the roof. He slowly lowered himself down over the edge, ready to drop down at the push of a button.

His target passed under him, and Danny dropped. He landed right behind his target, wrapping an arm around his chest and retracting his Rope Launcher. He barely avoided an elbow as he pulled himself and the target up, throwing him a few feet away.

His target stood, eyeballing him in an attempt to appear threatening. Danny just waited.

"Who are you?" His target asked, his focus on Danny so great he didn't notice Gamma Team approaching.

"I have no intention of hurting you, Jeremy Valentine. But I might just need your help." Danny said, his tail flicking in a manner that seemed pointless. Gamma stopped at the same time, then backed away, trusting his judgement.

"Say I help you. What do I gain from this? Not to sound greedy, but how does helping whoever you are benefit me?" Jeremy asked, Danny grinning under his mask.

"Well, here's the thing Mister Valentine. Let's just say I come to you as a representative of a group in serious need of...information. Information on another specific group who we are currently engaged in a shadow war with. We need to know anything a member of that group may buy. They appear to have an affinity for the large caliber rifles for their snipers, if my colleague's death was any indication. A tragedy, that. And no, you will not be asked to directly fight in this shadow war. You will be a part of the Associate Program, nothing more. You will do nothing but gather any information required." Danny said, Jeremy scoffing.

"And weapons, I imagine." The Wolf said, Danny arching an eyebrow.

"Well, you do not have to. I am fully aware you run a tight business and that you are not exactly the most steady when it comes to funds, so you will not be forced to hand over weapons unless you choose to. However, if you find any information on weapon caches for the other side, that would be appreciated. We need to both thin the proverbial herd as well as take their means of fighting back when possible." Danny said, Jeremy narrowing his eyes.

"Alright. I'll play along for now. But if I don't like what I hear, I walk." Jeremy said, Danny nodding.

"You are free to decline the offer if you wish." Danny said calmly, knowing the harder part was done now. He pulled a blindfold from his pocket, extending it towards Jeremy.

"Oh you have got to be kidding me." Jeremy muttered, grumbling something Danny was unable to make out.

"Sorry, Mister Valentine. But I cannot allow the location of the safehouse you will be taken to be compromised. Believe me, I would rather not blindfold you, but it is a matter of security and I can't compromise that." Danny said, Jeremy nodding to show he understood.

"As long as you don't let me fall, there won't be any issues." Jeremy said as he approached, taking the blindfold and tying it securely.

"Thank you, Mister Valentine. I'm glad you are at least open to checking out what your role will be." Danny said, placing a paw on Jeremy's shoulder to guide him.

"Yeah, yeah. Got nothing better to do, anyway."

Wolford groaned as he slowly came to, his eyes heavy from the anesthetics that had been injected into his system. He blinked, trying to orientate himself as he raised his head. He looked around, noting the square room he was in, noting the small table in front of him.

His attention was caught by the door as it suddenly groaned, slowly opening. A Wolf stepped in, Wolford realizing it was the same one who had broken into his apartment.

"Hey, nice to see you're awake. Now I can finally ask you those questions." The Wolf said excitedly, Wolford narrowing his eyes.

"I've taken the anti interrogation classes, just so you know. You won't get anything from me." He said, the other Wolf looking surprised at that.

"Interrogation? Why would I do that?" He asked, Wolford blinking in confusion. "I just have to clue you in on a few things and then ask you some questions regarding something that could benefit both the group I represent and the ZPD."

"Can I at least get your name?" Wolford asked, the Wolf glancing up at him as he looked at something on his bracer.

"Just call me Jacob." He said, lowering his arm and pulling a piece of paper from a pocket. He unfolded it and began to read out loud. "Officer James Wolford, no pups, no significant other, and eight years on the force. Recently you were assigned to help officers Nick Wilde and Judy Hopps with a case involving the shootout at the Tundra Town shipping port, which I was a part of just so you know. Now, I've been observing the case as is my job as an Associate. I gather information that could prove helpful to the group I represent." Jacob said, Wolford narrowing his eyes.

"So you murdered all those mammals." Jacob's eyes widened briefly at Wolford's accusation before they narrowed dangerously. His lips curled back and he slammed his paw on the table.

"I did not murder them! They shot first and killed a colleague of mine. I did _nothing_ but return the favor. Do not call me a murderer, officer Wolford. I am much better than that." Jacob said, his rage slowly subsiding until it was gone. "Please."

"Okay, so you returned the favor. Why are you fighting each other?" Wolford asked, Jacob scoffing.

"Like those bastards would be willing to peacefully talk it out. My colleague merely wanted to retrieve a hostage. He made no threatening actions and made no hostile remarks. If anybody murdered another mammal, it was them." Jacob said, his paws resting on the table now as he leaned on them.

"Okay. Say I believe you. Say I believe that you just want my help. What would you have me do?" Wolford asked, Jacob smiling.

"Finally, the question I've wanted to hear! Okay, so we need an informant inside the ZPD." Wolford opened his muzzle to protest at that, but Jacob held up a paw. "A Mentor of my group a long time ago once said that mammals who do not wish to fight should not be forced to. Well, that's what it amounts to, anyway. What we would need you to do is only something passive. We would require copies of any and all information the ZPD has on my group or the other's movements and any members that are suspected or confirmed." Jacob finished, Wolford chuckling at the explanation.

"So you can kill the other guys." He remarked, Jacob grinning.

"Well, they do want to take over the world, so I think it seems kinda fair, don't you?" Jacob asked, Wolford arching an eyebrow. "Oh, right. Yeah, they basically want to take away free will because they think that it causes too many problems."

"And let me guess, you guys want to keep free will." Wolford said, Jacob nodding.

"Pretty much, yeah." Wolford chuckled at the answer, shaking his head in amusement.

"This all seems a little like the plot to a weird video game series." Wolford said, furrowing his brow in thought. "But sure, count me in."

Amanda sat down behind a small table in a small square room, Lumi and Is stepping in behind her and closing the door.

"So, you mentioned that what I will find out would help find the mammal that took my mate. What do I have to do?" Amanda asked, Lumi pulling a chair up. Is hopped up onto it, Lumi continuing to stand as Amanda awaited an answer.

"Well, not much, really. We have two other candidates who would focus on other aspects in the event they accept our offers. You, Amanda, would focus on finding out the names and locations of mammals in the Templar's contingent here in Zootopia. The Assassins would then take them out. You would be free to acquire the information any way you deem necessary, though I would advise you to be careful. The Templars play for keeps, and we can not afford to lose any pieces in this game right now." Lumi said, Amanda nodding to show she understood.

"So I'm in charge of finding out the names of the mammals you'll be killing and where they live. Sounds like fun." Amanda remarked, the last part said sarcastically. Lumi chuckled, Is shaking his head.

"Honestly Amanda, me and Lumi don't want to get you involved at all, but our superiors think that you would be a good candidate for the Associate Program and we had to concede to the facts. Most of the Templars won't know you, and you _are_ an attractive mammal. Lumi, no." Is said, his last comment directed at the Arctic Fox who was currently glaring at Amanda. The Arctic Fox sighed, shaking her head.

"Sorry. Continue." Lumi said, looking at Amanda apologetically before letting her gaze drop.

"Anyway, as I was saying, our superiors believe it would be beneficial to both the Brotherhood and yourself if you would be willing to do what you needed to acquire information." Is finished, Amanda remaining silent as she tried to process what they were saying.

"So...they want me to be prepared to use myself to coerce information from the Templars I meet." She finally said, Lumi flinching.

"Well, no, not necessarily. They just wanted to let it be known that you can use whatever methods you need to. If you will not go that far, they will not make you." Lumi said, beginning to get uncomfortable. Amanda lowered her head, letting it hang as she thought. After a few minutes of silence, she raised her head up. Her eyes were blazing, determination etched into them.

"Okay. Count me in." She said, Lumi smiling.

"Thank you, Amanda. I would rather you not, but I will admit I am glad you are willing to help us after everything that has happened." Lumi said, enveloping the Jaguar in a hug.

"Anything for my friends." Amanda said, reciprocating the hug briefly before her and Lumi simultaneously released each other.

Jeremy stumbled forward as his hind paw tripped over a raise in the ground, then gasped as the blindfold was pulled from his eyes, the bright light blinding him as the sound of a door closing behind him reached his ears. He shook his head to clear it and looked around.

"Sit." Danny said from behind him, pointing to a chair on the other side of the small table in the middle of the room. He complied, knowing full well that the Cheetah could very likely hurt him if he wanted to.

"Okay, so now what?" Jeremy asked, Danny pulling a chair up and turning it so he was resting his arms on the back of it.

"The group I'm representing in this little meeting is in serious need of information, as I said earlier. We have a computer bank but nobody with the skills and patience to sit behind them almost every hour of the day when possible. That means we have nobody to monitor our enemies and what they may be doing or acquiring. This is where you come in. We need somebody who can monitor that. We can install the necessary software on any device you wish, be it phone, tablet, computer, or desktop." Danny said, Jeremy nodding.

"And I don't have to do anything other than report purchases in the caliber range of four sixteen to fifty?" Jeremy asked, arching an eyebrow at the Cheetah.

"That is correct. Or any mammal with attire or jewelry that possesses the same symbol as the Puma that visited your store earlier." Danny said, Jeremy blinking.

"Uh, how'd you know about that?" Jeremy asked, his eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"Jeremy, please. We don't have a lot of information, but I do have a friend who's a cop. And no, they are not aware of what group I represent." Danny answered, adding the last part when the Wolf opened his mouth.

"Well, can I at least _see_ the software before you download it to my devices?" Jeremy asked, Danny looking surprised.

"So...you're in?" He asked, Jeremy scoffing.

"Of course! Like I said earlier, I ain't got nothing better to do." Jeremy said, Danny's eye twitching slightly.

"So you do have something better to do." He remarked, Jeremy rolling his eyes. "It's a-"

"Yeah yeah, I know it's a double negative. You know what I meant." Jeremy said, shaking his head.

"Well then sure. But not here. I'll see if I can borrow a friend of mine's computer and I'll show you everything. How to operate it and all the different things it can do." Danny said, standing. He stepped away from the chair, then kicked it and sent it sliding back against the wall. "Now, blindfold or knock out?" He asked, Jeremy arching an eyebrow.

"Surprise me." He said dryly, Danny nodding. He stepped behind him, and Jeremy expected the blindfold. And there it was.

"What, you thought I was really going to knock you out? Please." Danny said, tying the black strip of fabric and helping Jeremy up.

He guided him around the table and out the door, passing by the two other rooms that Lumi, Is, and Jacob had been using.

He opened the door to the outside, then stopped.

"What? Something wrong?" Jeremy asked, not liking how they had suddenly stopped.

"I suppose I can trust you, since you're in." Danny finally said, the _snick_ of the Hidden Blade activating making Jeremy jump. "Don't move. Don't wanna cut you." Danny advised, slicing the blindfold.

"Uh, thanks." Jeremy said, looking around nervously. "Where are we?"

"An abandoned warehouse. Don't worry about the exact location. Head down this street to your right for eight blocks, then left one. After that, go right for five blocks and then head left for ten. You'll find a familiar location there." Danny said, Jeremy nodding as he tried to memorize the route. When he was confident, he set off.

Nick sat on the couch, watching a movie with Judy. He thought it was the third film in the Rabbit trilogy, and it was just getting to the point where the mammals in the party were fighting the Orcs with the two Elves. Apparently, Judy hadn't seen it yet.

Knocking at the door made Judy groan and pause the movie, Nick getting up.

"Keep watching. I've seen this before." Nick said, Judy hesitating. That only lasted a moment before she played it, Nick walking towards the door. He opened it, surprised to see Wolford there.

"Nick, I need to talk to you and Judy for a moment." He said, Nick glancing behind him.

"Give it a moment. We're watching the third movie in the Rabbit trilogy and it's about to a certain part." Nick said, holding up a paw. He counted down with it, and when his last digit fell Judy's shriek echoed throughout the apartment, and likely the building.

" _They killed the female Elf's love interest!?_ "

"So, what was it you wanted to say again?"

 **And that does it for Chapter 25 of Zootopian Assassins! And yes, I can verify Judy's reaction to the Hobbit killing off that one guy whose name I totally didn't forget is the same as my own, minus the screaming because it was the movie theater. I raged when I left, though. So wanted that to become a thing, even though the female Elf wasn't even in the book apparently. So yeah, hope you guys enjoyed this Chapter, because I honestly expected myself to have at least one of the three Characters refuse. I didn't, and I surprised myself with that. Though I likely made it incredibly obvious at the Beginning AN. And yes, I wanted to add a tad bit of comedy to this story considering how serious it's been lately. I plan on writing my own original story some time in the future, and will likely upload it to Fictionpress, which I think is the original fiction site. Maybe it'll become a book, who knows. It'll be dark, though. I promise you that. Anywho, this is getting off topic, so let me rectify that real quick. I honestly hate that I made myself only upload one Chapter a week, but I'm trying to keep myself ahead so in the event I'm away from my writing computer or something I can still upload with my other one. Yes, I use two different computers for writing and uploading. Don't ask. Anyway, this is getting long enough and I completely failed at getting back on track so I will see you guys...next update. Word Count: 5,158**


	27. Associates Pt 2

**Hey guys Price here and welcome to Chapter 26 of Zootopian Assassins! I hope you guys enjoyed last Chapter because the story just keeps on rolling now! This Chapter is going to focus on the four different Associates that will have prominent roles in how the Assassins get information now, and will likely prove invaluable to them in the future. After all, it always helps to have friends in high places, yeah? So yeah, there's a few scenes with Nick and Judy and a few other Assassins in here, but they aren't the main focus of this Chapter. Actually, the four Associates are gathering information on four different Templars which will function as the next four Contracts. One this Arc, two next Arc, and one in the last Arc before the very final Chapter. Gah, I can't believe it's more than halfway over already! It's been fun, I assure you of that. Anyway, this AN is long enough now, I think it's time to get...onto the story!**

Wolford stepped into Precinct One, dipping his head in greeting at Clawhauser as he passed the round Cheetah. He continued on his way, stepping into the Bullpen and taking his seat next to Fangmeyer, who he'd started sitting next to when she had bet him he couldn't convince McHorn to give up his seat. With a little – just a tad – bit of help from Wilde, he'd done it and McHorn hadn't asked for his seat back. So, he stayed.

Chief Bogo stepped into the Bullpen to the usual ruckus and he shouted at them to be quiet, just like usual. Things got complicated, however, when it was his and Nadine's turn to receive their assignments.

"Fangmeyer, Wolford, I need you two to go meet with a CI of mine. He has some information on a group that he says was involved in the murder of that Black Panther at the Tundra Town shipping port. He'll be at an abandoned warehouse a few miles west. Hopps, Wilde, you two have parking duty. Dismissed." He said, Wolford blinking in surprise.

"Ooh, a CI pickup. This ought to be fun." Nadine remarked with a chuckle, glancing at her partner. She blinked when she saw he looked confused and worried, curious what he was thinking about. "Hey, something wrong, James?" She asked, placing a paw on his shoulder.

"Huh? Oh, yeah. Sorry, I'm fine. Just didn't expect this is all." He said with a chuckle, hopping down from his chair and heading for the exit. Fangmeyer hesitated before following her partner, frowning to herself.

The two mammals stepped into the parking lot, entering their cruiser and pulling out onto the road.

Judy glanced at Nick, the Fox catching the motion, as they watched the Wolf and Tigress leave.

"Yes?" He asked, knowing she wanted something.

"You need to let Danny know. Tell him to have a few of the others come just in case to make sure nothing goes wrong." She said, Nick nodding. He pulled out his phone, sending a text to the Cheetah. Not even ten seconds later he got a reply.

"He wants to know who to bring." Nick said, Judy looking like she was things.

"Beta should be enough. Maybe Jacob as well." She said, Nick nodding and relaying the answer. The cab was silent for a few moments until Nick's phone buzzed.

"Alright, he says everyone will be there. What makes you think something will go wrong, anyways?" Nick asked, looking at Judy quizzically as he pocketed his phone.

"Just a feeling I've got." She answered, shrugging as Nick nodded and looked ahead.

"Well, you tend to be right with these things. Digits crossed, though." He said, eliciting a small chuckle from his Bunny partner.

"Yeah, you would want something to happen." Judy remarked, Nick rolling his eyes playfully.

Wolford and Fangmeyer arrived at the designated location a few minutes later, the two mammals hopping out of the cruiser. Fangmeyer stayed behind her door and leaned against it to convey a relaxed attitude while Wolford leaned against the grill of the vehicle. They didn't have to wait long.

"You know, you really should work on your posture, officer Fangmeyer." A heavily distorted voice said, the Tigress whipping around to find a Cheetah wearing a mask staring at her from a crouched position atop her cruiser.

"And you are...?" The Cheetah chuckled dryly at Fangmeyer's question, standing up.

"I would be your CI. Though I expected Bogo or maybe Wilde and Hopps, but nobody else." He said, shrugging and hopping off the cruiser. "So, you realize the place Bogo chose for a meeting place is frequently visited by Templars, right?" He asked, Fangmeyer tilting her head.

"I think he's talking about the ones Nick and Judy suspect killed the Black Panther." Wolford said, the Cheetah nodding in confirmation.

"That's correct. Also, just so you know, the parking lot we're in is surrounded. Tangoes on all sides, rapidly approaching." He said, waving his paw offhandedly at the last part.

"Wait, really?" Fangmeyer asked, glancing around.

"Yep. Though don't worry, I brought some friends." At that, ten reports of a large caliber rifle rang out, mists of blood raising up from behind cars, one only a few meters past the cruiser. More reports rang out, though they were small arms fire likely to wound any others. The Cheetah tilted his head as silence seemed to take hold over the area once again, as if listening for something.

"Alright, the area's clear. Some are just wounded, but they won't be coming back from the wounds." He said, Fangmeyer staring at him in shock. "What?" He asked, giving the Tiger a quizzical glance.

"We _need_ those survivors! We need to compile information! Everything we can get from them!" She exclaimed, the Cheetah shrugging.

"Don't worry. A special part about the Brotherhood is the Associates Program. Mammals who gather information on the Templars for the Assassins, but who aren't technically a member of the Brotherhood. So we're bound to get enough info from them soon, anyway. At least for a few more Contracts." The Cheetah said, shrugging again. "Officer Wolford." He said politely, dipping his head politely at the Wolf.

"Uh, hey. So, Fangmeyer, are we supposed to bring him in or just get what we can and go on our way?" Wolford asked, the Tigress looking thoughtful at that.

"Well, it's technically Nick and Judy's investigation, so I think we should ask them what we should do." She said after a moment, Wolford nodding.

"Okay, I'll call them. Neither of you move." Wolford said, stepping onto his side of the cruiser and opening the door. He grabbed the radio, depressing the button. "WolfMeyer to WildeHopps, come in WildeHopps." He said, hearing Nadine snort at their Clawhauser assigned designation.

" _WildeHopps here, what do you need, WolfMeyer?_ " Nick's voice asked, Wolford glancing out the front window of the cruiser briefly.

"Do you want us to bring the CI in, or collect the information and go?" Wolford asked, hearing a pause.

" _I'll ask Bogo. Hang tight, WolfMeyer._ " Nick said, Wolford telling him he would as he waited patiently. A few moments later, the radio crackled again. " _Bogo said to just collect the info and go. Oh, and if you guys get any visitors, let the CI take care of it._ " Nick reported, Wolford chuckling at the last part.

"He already did, WildeHopps. Apparently the warehouse is a prime Templar hotspot." Wolford said, blinking when he heard a thoughtful hum come from the other end.

" _You don't say. Well, catch you later, WildeHopps out._ " Nick said, the radio going silent. Wolford placed the radio back to it's normal position and stepped from the cruiser.

"Well?" Fangmeyer asked, glancing at Wolford briefly.

"Collect and go." He said, Fangmeyer nodding and turning to the Cheetah.

"Okay, what do you got?" The Tigress asked, crossing her arms as the Cheetah tilted their head in thought.

"Well, I know this is a popular Templar hangout, as I said. However, the Brotherhood doesn't really have a lot of information. At all. Which is why we employ the Associates Program. And we have four so far, and that's the optimal number. In fact, three of them should be collecting information right now." The Cheetah said, glancing at Wolford briefly, his gaze conveying what he wanted.

"Hey, Nadine, you keep seeing what you can get. If this is a popular Templar hangout like he says, we may be able to find stuff. I'll check it out." Wolford said, the Tigress narrowing her eyes briefly.

"Okay. Be careful." She said after a moment, Wolford nodding.

"Careful Wolford. You meet one in there, you better be prepared to draw. They will be." The Cheetah said warningly, Wolford pausing to glance at him.

"Yeah. Sure." He said, approaching the building.

"So you didn't clear it?" He heard Nadine ask, her tone conveying her annoyance.

"Hey, I have a family member that's a cop. I know how much you guys like your evidence to remain undisturbed." The Cheetah said as answer, though Wolford didn't get to hear Nadine's reply. He looked around quickly, then opened the door and stepped inside.

Pulling his flashlight from it's pouch, he clicked it on and flashed it around quickly. He froze when he felt the barrel of a gun against his gun, and he slowly turned his head to see who was there.

"Oh, it's you." The mammal, an Arctic Fox – female, if the voice was any indication – said. Wolford flashed her a small smile.

"Do I know you?" He asked, the sidearm disappearing from view.

"No, sorry. But I know you." The Arctic Fox said, looking around quickly. "And turn that off. You'll ruin my night vision." She admonished, Wolford hearing the tone of a mother in her voice. He immediately turned off his flashlight, pocketing it.

"Okay. So since you're here, I guess the building is clear of Templars?" Wolford asked, letting his eyes adjust to the darkness.

"It's likely. So I assume you're looking for information, right? Should be either upstairs or the storage room in the basement." The Arctic Fox said, Wolford nodding to himself.

"So, I assume you've got the basement." He said, hearing a small chuckle escape the Arctic Fox.

"Naturally. Now go get the info. Templars will be back soon." She said, Wolford nodding. He set off in a jog, pulling his flashlight free now that he was alone. He clicked it on, shining it around as he ran.

He found the stairs quickly, ascending them silently and quickly with the flashlight aimed down. He crouched down as he approached the office, thinking it better safe than sorry in case the Arctic Fox had been wrong.

He stopped at the door, leaning against the frame and glancing around. He nodded to himself, then kicked open the door and rushed in, flashlight waving all over the place as he searched for any mammals in the small room.

Suddenly, the fur on the back of his neck stood up. He brought his elbow back, feeling somebody deflect it. He picked up the almost silent sound of a blade sliding free of leather, and leapt away from the mammal. He spun, raising his paws in a defensive posture only to blink.

"Ah, Jacob." He said, lowering his paws as the other Wolf paused.

"Huh. Didn't expect the Chief to send _you_." Jacob said, Wolford catching sight of the large rifle strapped to his back.

"Life is full of surprises." Wolford said with a shrug, then dipping his head towards the rifle. "Fifty Browning Machine Gun, right?" He asked, Jacob chuckling.

"Good eye. Yeah, it is." Jacob said, glancing past Wolford. "Everything is in that desk, by the way." He added, gesturing to a desk behind Wolford.

"Thanks. See you later, I guess." Wolford said, turning and stepping behind the desk. He crouched down, opening the cabinets on drawers on the furniture until he found the right one. He pulled a stack of files from a drawer, then looked up. "Hey, fou-" he blinked, seeing that Jacob was gone. "Figures." He muttered, shaking his head as he picked the folder up and walked out the door.

The Arctic Fox was waiting for him, and he tilted his head as an offer for her to speak first.

"So, nothing in the basement. Office?" She asked, Wolford nodding.

"Yep." He said, flashing the folder. The Arctic Fox snatched it, Wolford arching an eyebrow as she opened it.

"Hm, yes. Okay, so this mammal will be here at this date, at this time, and with this many others...okay! That's all I need." She said, snapping the folder shut and handing the folder out to him.

"Uh...thanks?" Wolford said as he took the folder back, the Arctic Fox giving a small, two digit salute before turning and raising their wrist.

"See ya around, James." With that, a quiet _psh_ sounded out and the Arctic Wolf disappeared, rising up and into the shadows. Wolford's brows creased as he wondered how she knew his first name, then shrugged and turned to the door.

He stepped out of the building, folder in paw, and saw that Nadine was waiting patiently, the Cheetah standing nearby.

"Hey James, find what we need?" She asked, Wolford raising the folder in answer.

"Possibly. This was the only thing up there, though." He said, the Cheetah perking his ears at that. He reached out to take it, and Nadine grabbed his wrist.

"Hey, I need that." He said, locking eyes with Nadine.

"Too bad. Police investigation." Nadine said, the Cheetah narrowing their eyes.

"Nadine, let him go. Somebody from the Brotherhood already got what you need, anyway." Wolford said, the Tigress blinking in surprise. "Arctic Fox, female. Slight accent." Wolford said when the Cheetah arched an eyebrow in questioning.

"Ah. Well, I should be going then. Pleasure meeting you." The Cheetah said, Nadine releasing him reluctantly. He smiled playfully at her, then gave Wolford the same salute the Arctic Fox had and turned. He walked around a car Wolford remembered seeing a blood mist from, stopping and glancing down. "Hey, a KRISS. L is gonna love this." He said, bending down and raising a submachine gun. He nodded to himself, then placed it back down. Wolford heard him mutter something about coming back with a bag as he turned and jogged off, but he was already turning to his cruiser.

He stepped into the vehicle, Fangmeyer climbing in the other side. They both closed their doors, Wolford starting the vehicle. He didn't notice the subtle glance of suspicion Nadine threw his way.

Jeremy Valentine stepped out from his office with a yawn, shaking his head to clear it as he glanced around. None of his employees were in yet, which was good. He cast one last quick glance around before turning around and heading back into his office. He sat down behind his desk, turning on his computer. He glanced at the small usb stick next to it, having found the electronic on his pocket when he'd arrived from the warehouse after joining that Associates Program thingy.

He logged into the computer, then picked up the usb. He hesitated, wondering just what it would do once connected. He plugged it in, waiting for his computer to recognize it before double clicking the device's logo. He hovered over the _System Data_ file – which was the only file on the usb – in a moment of worry.

He only hesitated a few seconds before he double clicked the file, a small blue circle appearing where the mouse had been as the computer worked to open the file. The screen went black, Jeremy blinking in surprise before he noticed a small white line slowly spinning in the bottom corner, a sure sign of a loading application. He let out a small sigh of relief, glad the data hadn't completely crashed his system.

A blood red symbol suddenly appeared, which Jeremy saw was the same on the Cheetah's belt. It remained for a few seconds before disappearing, before being replaced by the words _**ASSOCIATES PROGRAM**_ in big, bold letters.

Then that screen was replaced by another, this time what appeared to be a video. That was proven true when a familiar shape appeared from the shadows, the white cloth of the Cheetah's outfit making Jeremy chuckle.

" _Hello, Associate. I'm the Program's handler; call me either D or just Handler, I'm fine with either. Now, I'm sure you have questions, but I'm clearly a recording and I don't personally know you so I'm not even going to try and guess what they are. You'll have to ask me when you see me next. Anyway, as I'm sure you know, we of the Brotherhood are in_ serious _need of information. That, Associate, is where you come in. However you've been assigned to gather that information will vary depending on who you are and what you can do, both mentally and physically, though the general method is similar: do whatever you have to. Personally, I don't care if you have to flirt or force the info at gun point, as long as you retrieve it and live to deliver it. That is it for now. Similar videos like this will pop up throughout the process of setting up this program as a sort of...tutorial program, if you will. Ciao."_ Jeremy nodded to himself before pulling a small box from a drawer in his desk. He flicked it open and tapped it on the table, revealing the addictive substance stick he craved. He bit into the end, pulling it free and closing the box. He grabbed the other end and bit down, chewing the pocky stick as he went through the motions of setting up the program to his own personal tastes. He watched the videos as they popped up, paying thorough attention so he could remember what he needed.

He jumped when his phone rang, barely managing to catch the pocky before it hit the ground. He picked the device up, pressing it to his ear.

"Hello?" He said, biting into the pocky again.

" _Hey, Jeremy. It's Lumi and...what are you eating?_ " Jeremy blinked, wondering if that was considered rude in Finland.

"Pocky. It's a...hold on." Jeremy said, fumbling for the box. He finally gripped it, looking for the right section. "It's a chocolate-coated biscuit stick." He said, silence stretching as Lumi processed the information.

" _I didn't think Wolves could eat chocolate._ " Lumi remarked, her voice surprised.

"Only takes seventy ounces of milk chocolate to kill a hundred pound Wolf. Pocky only weighs an ounce in a pack of ten, sometimes two or so ounces. So I'm good as long as I eat it sparingly. Funnily enough, Luke introduced me to it like...a few days ago." Jeremy said, hearing a small hum of pleasant surprise come from the other side.

" _Well, at least I don't have to go to another funeral anytime soon._ " Lumi remarked with a laugh, Jeremy starting at the news.

"I didn't know somebody died." He said, his surprise evident.

" _Oh, just a friend of mine. Which is what I wanted to call about-_ "

"That's fine, Lumi. Take as long as you need." Jeremy said, hearing a start from Lumi at being interrupted. She let out a small, almost sad laugh.

" _Thank you, Jeremy. I will see you tomorrow, or something._ " Lumi said, Jeremy chuckling.

"Lumi, you can take more than a day off! It's fine, really. Besides, it'll give me a chance to relax from your constant badgering about renovating my office." Jeremy said sarcastically, drawing a genuine laugh from the female Arctic Fox.

" _You know you like the idea._ " Lumi said, Jeremy frowning to himself. This caused the pocky stick to tilt and bop him on the nose, and he crunched the rest of it. The end of the stick flew up, then fell. He watched with satisfaction as it landed in the trash bin by his paws.

"Do I like the idea? Yes. Yes I do. However, I still don't know what I would color it or anything." Jeremy said with a huff, picking up the pack of pocky. He made to shake one out, then paused. "Nah." He said to himself, closing the box and setting it in his shirt pocket.

" _Hm? You say something else?_ " Lumi asked, Jeremy glancing at his door briefly.

"Oh, I was just contemplating eating another stick. Decided against it, though. But yeah, take your time, Lumi. Your job isn't gonna go anywhere while you grieve." Jeremy said, watching his computer screen as the last bit finished.

" _Thank you, Jeremy. I will definitely see you by the end of the week, though._ " Lumi said, Jeremy arching an eyebrow.

"Lumi...it's Saturday." He said, Lumi groaning.

" _Right. Sorry. By the end of next week, then._ " Lumi said, Jeremy chuckling.

"Alright, bye now." Jeremy said, Lumi echoing him and hanging up.

Jeremy glanced around the system one last time, then closed it. He pushed away from his desk and stood, heading for his door. He opened it, stepping out and heading to the front door. He unlocked it, welcoming Jess inside.

"So, Is called. Said a friend of his and Lumi's died." Jess said, Jeremy nodding.

"Yeah. Gave them as long as they need." Jeremy said, Jess making a small noise of acknowledgement.

"You never give me that long." Jess pretended to pout, Jeremy snorting.

"Maybe stop stealing my pocky and I will." He said, extending his paw. Jess groaned and handed the box back, shaking her head. "I grew up with siblings, Jess. I know a thing or two about knowing when something is missing." Jeremy said with a chuckle, flipping the box open. He pulled a stick free, then closed it and headed back towards his office.

"See ya later, boss." Jess said, Jeremy waving in farewell as he walked away.

A few hours later, an Antelope stepped inside the building. He made his way to the back, and Jeremy kept his gaze on him as he approached.

"Hey, welcome to Jim's Gun Shop. What can I do for you today?" Jeremy asked, a smile on his muzzle as he greeted the Antelope.

"Well, I have an Apex friend who likes big guns, right? I was looking to get him something like four sixteen or fifty caliber, since he has a great many of the other larger caliber rifles and sidearms and such, and I've heard good things about your shop so I decided to pay you a visit." The Antelope said, Jeremy nodding. He turned to the wall displaying the various rifles, carbines, and shotguns and tilted his head as he pretended to think.

"You know, you're in luck. I just recently got fresh stock for those two calibers. How much you looking to buy?" Jeremy asked as he turned back to the Antelope, the mammal frowning in thought.

"Uh, how much you got?" He asked sheepishly, Jeremy arching an eyebrow.

"Well, a few crates of ammo for each is what it tends to be. They're the hundred round crates, too, so enough for ten or so regular magazines if you load them to capacity each." Jeremy said, the Antelope nodding.

"Okay, how much?" He asked, Jeremy flashing him a smile.

"I like you. Three fifty." Jeremy said, the Antelope blinking. "Fifty Browning Machine Gun is expensive, sir. Sorry." Jeremy said, shrugging.

"Nah, it's fine. Just surprised me, is all." The Antelope said, pulling the amount owed out of his wallet and handing it out.

"Thanks. Sign here, and I'll be able to get it to ya by the end of the week." Jeremy said, the Antelope nodding. He signed the paper Jeremy extended, then passed it back and turned.

"Thanks. See ya around." The Antelope said, waving over his shoulder at Jeremy.

"Yeah. Likewise." Jeremy said, waiting for the Antelope to step out the door before going into his office. He closed the door behind him, then jogged over to his desk and sat down.

He logged in to his computer, then opened the application he'd gotten. After waiting for a few minutes, he clicked the 'Report' button and entered the information on the mammal. He wasn't quite sure they were a Target of the Brotherhood, but he didn't want to risk anything.

When he was done, he waited for a few moments then stood, cracking his back and neck loudly. He groaned at the feeling, then headed for the door. He had a business to run.

Amanda Acosta sat behind her desk at the Zootopia General Hospital, staring at her computer screen as she read a list of various patients waiting to be signed out. She sighed, wanting to be anywhere but where she was at the moment, preferably at home with her kit.

Suddenly, the doors opened loudly, drawing her attention to the entrance as paramedics rushed in with a mammal on a stretcher. They shouted for a room, and a pair of nurses ran off towards the elevator. As they passed, Amanda caught sight of the mammal and felt her blood freeze.

There, on the mammal's shoulder, was a white square with a red cross in it.

"Hey, Amanda!" Somebody shouted, and she jerked her gaze away from where she was looking to find the owner of the voice. She saw a doctor gesturing to her, and she hurriedly stood up and jogged over.

"Yes?" She asked, the doctor gesturing for her to follow him. He ran off towards the elevator, and she hesitated. Glancing around, she spotted a fellow nurse. "Hey, cover for me real quick!" The nurse nodded, and Amanda ran after the doctor.

They entered the elevator, and the doctor bent over, breathless.

"I need to get out more." He said under his breath, shaking his head and standing, then pressing the button for the fourth floor.

"What is this? Why do you need me?" Amanda asked, the doctor holding up a paw. After a moment, he faced her.

"Listen, Amanda, we heard about your mate. I'm sorry, but the police recently called us and told us that mammals with the patch such as the mammal that just came in are dangerous and should be apprehended. I need you to see what you can get from the mammal just in case the police can't get him to talk or the mammal dies before they can get here. He's gonna be doped up on morphine to dull the pain from his wound, so it should be a little easier. I'll get the police on the line, you do what you can." He said, finishing right as the door dinged open. "Room four sixteen." Amanda couldn't do anything but nod, a little confused by what the doctor had said. Surely there were mammals here that had a bit more understanding than she did on interrogation, or whatever it was she would be doing.

Shaking her head, she stepped into the hallway and glanced left, then right. Nodding to herself, she set off to the left. When she found room four sixteen, she paused as she thought over how crazy everything had been recently.

The mammal she'd become mated to only a month prior had turned out to be in a secret organization that killed mammals such as the one in the room in front of her, then he'd been killed trying to save her, and now a mammal that was a part of the group that had killed him was in the room in front of her. And, even better, she was supposed to gather whatever info she could for the police as well as the group that her mate had been a part of, since she'd joined the "Associates Program," whatever that was.

With a deep breath, she opened the room and stepped inside.

"Hello sir, how are you?" She asked, a standard question for her to ask.

"Aside from the forty five slug in my chest, you mean?" The mammal asked, letting out a small chuckle.

"I'll take that as a 'fine, thank you.'" Amanda said, approaching the mammal. "Listen, I need to ask you some questions. And you need to answer them. They're important." She said, the mammal hesitating a moment. After a few seconds, he nodded.

"Fine. Long as they ain't invasive or anything." Amanda smiled dryly at that, the motion small and bare perceptible.

"Of course. Now, let's start with question one..." And so Amanda set about asking the questions she thought would be useful, and the only hiccup came when the mammal refused to answer who he worked for. "That's fine, we already know." Amanda said, the mammal tensing.

"'Course you do." He muttered, frowning to himself. Amanda opened her mouth to speak again when knocking at the door distracted her. She turned and opened the door, surprise flittering across her face when she came almost face to face with that Fox cop whose name she couldn't remember at the moment.

"Ah, Officer...uh, forgive me, I can't remember your name." Amanda said, the Fox smiling reassuringly.

"Officer Nick Wilde, at your service. My partner's coming, she just had to ask some questions to the paramedics that brought the mammal in. Now, is he lucid enough for questioning?" He asked, Amanda nodding.

"Yes sir, though I already questioned him on some things. You know, in case he didn't survive long enough for you to get here." The cop nodded thankfully at that.

"Thank you. Now, let's get started..."

Jacob sat inside the safehouse he'd been using for the past few months, his legs raised up and laying over the back of the couch he sat on. He glanced to his left and at the computer on the table in front of the couch at the sound of beeping, seeing that somebody had gone to the warehouse. He sat up, leaning forward and pulling the computer into his lap. He pulled up the video feed on the small camera he'd left behind, his muzzle resting between his thumb and index digit.

"Hmmm, who's this?" He asked nobody, tilting his head as a shape came into view. When the feed suddenly cut out, he reeled back with his arms splayed out in surprise. "Whoa, what just happened!?" He shouted, staring at the screen for a moment. He growled when nothing happened, closing the lid and grabbing the rifle bag near the door as he stormed out and slinging it over his shoulder.

When Jacob arrived across the street from the warehouse, he skidded to a stop and crouched down quickly, aware he'd be highly visible to any mammal paying attention in the daylight. He unzipped the carry bag for his rifle, pulling the firearm free and slowly raising his head. He pressed the release button on the side and pulled the magazine free, swapping it out for the one containing his limited supply of Tracking Chips. Placing his eye to the scope, he waited.

He didn't have to wait long for the mammal he'd seen enter to leave.

 _'There you are...'_ He pressed his finger to the trigger, pausing briefly. He aimed a tad to the right to adjust for wind, then shifted the barrel down a single degree. Steadying the weapon, he fired. Due to the nature of the rounds, the gunpowder was replaced with air to reduce the noise to almost silent. Granted, they still made noise, but not nearly as much as the normal bullets did. As he had been told would happen, the mammal flinched and slapped their neck, then grimaced and continued on their way, thinking the small sting was a bug and nothing more.

Putting the rifle away, Jacob placed his back against the small wall and pulled a tablet free. He activated it, quickly logging in and pulling up the information on the chip. Narrowing his eyes as he stared at the screen, he waited.

A few moments later the tablet beeped, and Jacob nodded to himself. He tucked it away, then stood and shouldered the bag, heading towards the safehouse again.

He had a Contract to compile.

 **And that does it for Chapter 26 of Zootopian Assassins! After the Contract next Chapter, I'll likely have a few time skips to minor events in the story, since the plot has been taking up more Chapters than I thought it would. The deaths next Chapter will likely be particularly graphic as well, though not nearly to the level of Fantasma's death so a majority of the words aren't just detailed wounds. I'm not particularly happy with this Chapter, at least not Amanda and Jacob's parts, but I was struggling and needed to get this Chapter done. I hope it was at least a little bit enjoyable, at the very least. Anyway, that's enough of that, I'll see you guys...next update. Word Count: 5,596**


	28. Reversion

**Hey guys Price here and welcome to Chapter 27 of Zootopian Assassins! This Chapter focuses on the Contract of the mammal that Wolford – and subsequently Lumi – got information on last Chapter. It'll be just Danny and Lumi on this Contract, mainly to give some attention to Danny, who has been sorely lacking as of late, but also to bring back the Savage Lumi idea from Chapter 15. I honestly like that idea when I think back on it, and LapisLucius42 on – who is a very loyal Reviewer who inspired me to write this story with his own – mentioned he'd like to see it come back. Who am I to deny my fans? Plus they are my two favorite OCs, unless you count Lance Whitney as an OC despite the fact he's based heavily on myself. Anyway, this is getting long enough, I think it's time to get...onto the story!**

Lumi sat in the warehouse that was being used to house the training areas and Holo Training equipment for the Assassin Brotherhood. She rested on a small chair in a tiny lounge room off to the side, his right hind leg draped over the arm of the chair lazily.

Drifting off, she was about to sleep when the door burst open and she fell from the chair in shock.

"Lumi, come on! Delilah's group came together sooner than scheduled!" The white blur that was Daniel Clawhauser shouted, and Lumi stood quickly.

"Sir." She said, following him as he turned and sprinted off, Lumi right behind him. They exited the warehouse, quickly orientated themselves, and set off towards where the information had said the mammal they hunted would be.

It'd been almost five months since Lumi had collected that information, and she briefly wondered if the ZPD – who they had an Associate inside of – would get involved in some way. Preferably not, but she wasn't going to hold out hope.

"Backup?" Lumi questioned as they ran into an alley, Danny remaining silent in favor of firing his Rope Launcher. Lumi sighed and did the same, pulling herself up over the ledge and sprinting after Danny.

"Negative. We'll need to be silent on this. Don't want cops coming too soon." Lumi felt a small wave of irritation at the Cheetah's words, but he continued before she could speak her mind. "Is would be better for stealth."

"Hey! I can be stealthy!" Lumi exclaimed as she skidded to a stop, Danny doing so as well.

"Yeah, your rescue of your mate really proved that." He snorted, Lumi staring at him in shock. The shock was quick to turn to anger, and Danny blinked when she snarled.

"Oh really? I'm sorry, I wasn't aware that you're supposed to leave the father of your kits to be killed just because...what, stealth isn't an option!?" Lumi shouted, Danny tilting his head.

"Kits...?" He inquired, and Lumi felt herself freeze at her mistake. She hadn't really told anybody about that yet. She sighed and turned, her expression saddening.

"It was supposed to be two kits." She said, Danny remaining silent for a moment before understanding hit him.

"Oh..." He said, his expression both shocked and horrified. "Lumi, I'm sorry. I didn't know."

"Only me and Is did, Danny. I wanted it to stay that way for a while longer." Danny visibly faltered, and Lumi hesitated before continuing. "I got the mammal that did it."

"Good. Nobody who wouldn't hesitate to do something like that deserves to live." Lumi arched an eyebrow at that, and Danny seemed to realize what her next words would be because he spoke before she could. "I don't really mind the...legal route. They chose to risk it when they weren't ready. I would prefer they just go to adoption, but some can't."

"I understand." Lumi said, the pair falling silent for a moment. Finally, Lumi spoke again. "We should get moving."

"Yeah." Danny agreed, the two continuing on their way.

They arrived quickly, the location suspiciously close to their warehouse, and crouched down on a roof across the street as they checked out the location.

"We need to do this quick and quiet. Police arriving before we get done could present problems." Lumi said, Danny glancing at her.

"I already said that." He said, Lumi tossing a small grin his way.

"I know." She said, Danny rolling his eyes as Lumi fired her Rope Launcher into the building's edge and leaped. Her descent slowed to a stop five feet from the ground and she released the hook. She dropped to the ground, then glanced around. She gestured for Danny to join her and he did the same as her, crouching when he landed.

"Let's go." Danny said, staying crouched as he headed for the building, Lumi on his heels. They stopped at the door, Lumi pulling a Throwing Knife free and, glancing at Danny, raised her paw and pounded on the door. "Lumi!" Danny hissed, Lumi holding up a paw.

"Door's locked." She whispered, the duo going silent for a few moments until a slit in the door opened. They both moved further away, just in case.

"Sic vis pacem...?" A mammal's voice asked, Lumi smirking.

"Para bellum." Lumi said, recognizing the words.

"Enter." The door began to click an obscene amount of times, Lumi arching an eyebrow at Danny.

"Locks?" She mouthed, Danny shrugging. The door opened, Lumi gesturing for Danny to stay put. After a moment, a Coyote stuck their head out.

"Hello?" He inquired, looking to his right. He locked gazes with Lumi as she reached out and stuck the Throwing Knife into his throat, pulling him out of the doorway and placing him against the wall. She ripped the Throwing Knife free, wiping it clean and sheathing it as the Coyote sat on the ground against the wall, the Canine dead.

"Let's go." Lumi whispered, Danny nodding and following her inside. Lumi glanced around as she entered, the building mostly dark with a few lights, and she placed a paw on Danny's shoulder to catch his attention. She signaled him to remain where he was so she could check it out, and he nodded. She nodded in return, then crouched down and moved forward.

At a t-section she paused, then slowly stuck her head out and looked to her right. Seeing nothing she turned to her left, then pulled her head back in from view quickly at the sight of five mammals standing together in a circle.

She backtracked to Danny, tapping him on the shoulder and stopping his arm easily when he reacted.

"Lumi, don't do that." He admonished quietly, Lumi shrugging.

"I found a small group of five on the left side of a t-section down the way. Thought you'd want to know." She said, Danny blinking. "Fox. Night vision."

"Ah, right." He whispered, nodding at her. "Lead the way." Lumi grinned, then turned and retraced her steps to the t-section with Danny right behind her. She stopped, the Cheetah nearly running into her when she did, and turned to him.

"Watch this." She said, Danny remaining silent. She knew he wanted to remark he couldn't see well in the dark, or at least not like she could, but she hadn't been speaking literally anyway. He'd hear it if nothing else. She slowly stuck her head out and peered down the walkway, then nodded to herself at the sight of the mammals still there and stood, rolling her shoulders.

She approached silently, staying just outside of what she hoped was their limit in darkness. Silently, she pulled two Throwing Knives free and hefted them, then let them fly. Two mammals fell clutching their throats as Lumi charged forward, ducking under one mammal's arm and slashing their throat, then stabbing another in the chest. She turned on the last one, who looked particularly terrified, and narrowed her eyes. She reached forward and grabbed the mammal's uniform, pulling him in and pulling her arm back.

"Wait, please!" The mammal begged, Lumi hesitating briefly. She growled, then plunged the Hidden Blade through his eye violently, letting him crumple to the ground.

"No." With that, she turned and walked back to where Danny stood, his expression one of concerned curiosity.

"On a scale of one to ten, how messy are we talking?" He asked, having heard about just what Lumi had done to the mammals in Bunny Burrow.

"Two." She paused in thought. Recalled the Tanuki. "Mostly."

"You are a freaky Vixen." Danny remarked, Lumi shrugging.

"Hey, don't we have NVGs?" She asked, suddenly recalling the fact.

"Yeah..." Danny answered hesitantly, wondering why she would be asking.

"Did you bring them?" She inquired, Danny remaining silent for a long moment before slapping his mask.

"Ugh, I knew I was forgetting something." Lumi snorted in amusement at the fact he'd forgotten something like that for a night mission, and Danny just glared at her.

"Yeah yeah, laugh it up. Just remember I'm a Milite now, and hold rank over you." Lumi rolled her eyes, shaking her head with a huff as she turned.

"Let's go. We have mammals to kill." She paused. "Never thought I'd ever be saying that."

"I hear ya." Danny agreed, following her as she began walking quietly. She glanced around the corner, saw nobody was there, and stopped Danny.

"Way is clear, but there's a side route a few feet down. Clear it." Danny frowned at her, then shook his head.

"Lumi, do you realize how bad a Cheetah's night vision is? I'm practically blind, even with the Sense." Lumi rolled her eyes.

"Then why'd you come?" She asked, Danny blinking in surprise.

"Because it's my duty to, that's why." He answered, voice a tad louder than Lumi would have preferred.

"Yeah, well your sense of duty is gonna get you killed one day because you can't see somebody." Lumi hissed angrily, her gaze flicking past him. She brought a paw up and shoved him aside, her other paw reaching for her sidearm reflexively. She stopped herself just in time, though, instead bringing a Throwing Knife up and flinging it. A mammal cried out, and she grinned. She glanced at Danny. "Clear the hall. I need to have a chat." She said, Danny nodding mutely in shock. He hadn't even heard whatever it was Lumi had stuck.

Lumi began walking, Danny remaining still for a few moments before turning and slowly walking down the hallway. Lumi soon came upon her victim, a Gray Fox Vixen on the ground with Lumi's Throwing Knife stuck in her leg. She looked up and hissed at Lumi, the Vixen ignoring the threat and reaching down. The Gray Fox lashed out, catching her paw with a claw and making Lumi yank her paw back in pain.

"You little lutka." Lumi growled out, shaking her paw and reaching down, picking the Vixen up off the ground easily. "You think you can beat me? You've been stuck; cut a tendon or two and now you can barely stand."

"I can still do this." The Vixen remarked, spitting in Lumi's face. Lumi flinched slightly, then unceremoniously dropped the Vixen and wiped the saliva off.

"Bad idea." Lumi stomped down on the Vixen's leg, eliciting s scream that she cut off by grabbing her by the throat and lifting her up, applying enough pressure to leave her choking. "I have slaughtered many, many of you mammals with ease. You really think spitting in my face is gonna do you any favors?" The Vixen looked terrified now, Lumi holding her at eye level with fury the dominant emotion in her eyes; they were practically _blazing_ with it. The Vixen clawed at her throat weakly, and Lumi let off the pressure slightly, thinking she was going to talk.

"You think I'm scared of some little Assassin? Vix, you don't scare me." The Gray Fox laughed, Lumi grinning.

"Oh? I don't, huh?" As the Vixen made to answer, Lumi pushed ash hard as she could, sending the Vixen against the wall. Lumi stepped forward, her paw flashing out and gripping the Vixen by the throat and lifting her up with one paw as the other pulled back. Lumi shot her paw forward, knocking the Vixen out easily. She'd come back for her later. She turned to see Danny looking in her direction with morbid curiosity.

"What...what did you do?" He asked, and Lumi let out a small sigh of relief that he hadn't seen completely what she'd done.

"She was being annoying." Lumi answered, stepping past him and into the hallway. Danny stayed put for a moment in silence, then turned and followed her.

They went unchallenged for a few minutes more, which had Lumi noticeably on edge.

"Lumi, if we don't find them soon we're going to have to leave. I can't see five feet in front of me and it's getting darker." Danny said, Lumi whirling on him.

"You go, then. I am _not_ going to stop just because somebody forgot to bring a light." She hissed, Danny making to open his mouth when they were suddenly surrounded by light.

"What, you mean something like this?" Danny asked sarcastically, Lumi averting her head quickly in the pretense of looking around. They both stood as Danny noted they stood in a rather unnecessarily long hallway, though there were a good deal of mammals in the way of any exit.

"You are the worst." Lumi muttered, turning her back to Danny to better watch the mammals that seemed to appear from nowhere. Danny followed suit, turning to face the wall of mammals on his side as well.

"Think we can get through?" Danny asked genuinely, turning his head slightly back towards Lumi.

"Unlikely." She answered, one paw resting on a pouch on her side. "You know, this is exactly why I brought the bars." She said, Danny's eyes widening as she flipped the pouches open. Her paws dipped inside and pulled a single bar of C4 each out. Lumi tossed the bars in opposite directions, both landing in the groups of mammals. "Down!" She shouted, pulling the detonator free and spinning about. She clicked it as Danny hunched down, two explosions blasting out and – if Lumi hadn't been covering her ears – would have completely and likely permanently deafened her. She and Danny stood quickly, taking in the damage and remaining Templars. There was blood and bone and gore everywhere. There were a few mammals clutching stumps where limbs had been, some crying out as they did while others faded, and Lumi was quick to turn and pull her sidearms free.

"We need to hurr-" Lumi cut off Danny by pulling her sidearms free, aiming down both ends of the corridor.

"Going loud!" She shouted, Danny ducking down quickly as she began to fire upon whatever mammal entered her sights. When she was empty, she ejected the magazines and let them fall, holstering the two guns and rushing over to her right. Danny pulled his Kyoketsu Shogei free as he turned to face the other mammals. He began to twirl it, slowly at first, before increasing the speed of its rotation until it was more or less a blur. He released it, the blade flying forward and sinking deep into a watching Wolf's throat. He yanked on the chain, the blade coming free with a small amount of difficulty and leaving the Wolf to bleed to death as they collapsed to the ground clutching the wound and gasping.

Lumi leaped forward, coming up from a roll with a Franchi Sporting Purpose Automatic Shotgun Model 15, more commonly known as the SPAS-15, and sighted on the closest mammal to her. She fired, blowing apart the Wolf's head in a spray of blood and ducking down as a Tiger came at her. She blew out the Tiger's knee then turned and fired into their back as they fell, her gaze landing on a Danny briefly. He spun, flinging the blade out and slicing open a Coyote's throat.

Something impacted the back of Lumi's head, sending her to the ground. An arm wrapped around her throat, lifting her up quickly. Lumi went with it, pushing off the ground as hard as she could and over the mammal's shoulder. She spun the SPAS-15 around, placing the end of the barrel against the spot between the mammal's ears and firing. The head was pulped and Lumi landed behind the mammal as they fell, spinning about quickly. She ducked under a swing from a Rhino and rolled between their legs, firing into the back of their knee and using that as a spring board when they fell. She gripped the back of the Rhino's shirt and placed the barrel to their neck, pulling the trigger. The Rhino's neck was blown apart, only held to the rest of the body by a few strands of skin and muscle. Lumi pushed off, flipping and landing feet first against a Wolf's chest. The Wolf was knocked down and Lumi quickly turned. She stuck the barrel into the Wolf's jaw and fired, sending blood and brain matter all over the ground.

Danny wrapped the chain of his Kyoketsu Shogei around a Bobcat's arm as he ducked under a swipe, pulling on it and spinning the Bobcat around. Danny stepped past the Bobcat as he swung, his Kyoketsu Shogei slicing through the skin of the Bobcat's throat with ease and sending blood pouring free as the Bobcat fell clutching their throat. He grimaced as he saw Lumi's side of the fight, once more reminded she had a thing for guns.

Sudden pain in his shoulder made him shout, turning around to see a Wolf hop back with a bloody knife in paw.

Lumi turned her head when Danny shouted, paw dipping down to a Throwing Knife.

"Duck!" She shouted, launching the knife as hard as she could as Danny ducked. The Wolf's head jerked back as the blade sunk into his forehead, the Canine crumpling to the ground in a heap. Danny looked over his shoulder at her, dipping his head in thanks. Lumi returned the nod, then turned back to her side of the hallway. The mammals looked at her with fear clear in their eyes, and one even swallowed nervously. A whistling sound alerted Lumi to the danger, and she leapt back as a familiar mammal landed in front of her, a knife striking the concrete and breaking where Lumi had been standing. She raised the shotgun. "Hello. What a pleasure to see you again." She remarked dryly as the Red Panda stood from where he had landed.

 _'Of course he survived. Figures.'_ She thought, not even caring to think about how that would have been possible.

A Tiger grunted as he came from Lumi's right, a paw swiping towards her head. Lumi raised the shotgun and leapt back, the gun snapping in half easily under the Tiger's paw. Lumi glanced at the pieces before tossing them away, pulling her 1911 free. That was knocked from her paws by a knife, Lumi looking to her left.

"Pleasure's all mine, Vix." The Red Panda said as he charged forward, pulling another knife free and swiping at Lumi. She blocked it easily and threw a knee into his gut, pulling a knife from his belt and pushing him back. She flipped the knife into a reverse grip and stabbed it into the Tiger's gut, wrenching it to the to side and disemboweling him. The Red Panda came forward again, gripping her wrist and sweeping her feet out from under her as he pulled her arm over his shoulder and flipped her. Lumi landed on the upper portion of her back and rolled with it, pulling her wrist free from the Red Panda's grip and turning, sending a kick into the side of his head as he came up. He stumbled away, falling to the ground a dozen feet away or so and clutching his head. Lumi approached steadily, fire in her noticeably Savage eyes. The Red Panda turned over onto his back, fear in his eyes, and crawled backward desperately as Lumi stepped closer.

"Once again you underestimate me. Once again...I win." She said, reaching down and gripping the Red Panda by the uniform and lifting him up. She slammed him against the wall, making him wince in pain, then turned and chucked him across the hallway. He impacted the wall with a grunt, landing on his rear. Lumi approached steadily, bending down and scooping up her 1911 smoothly. She reloaded it, racking the slide. She drove her foot against the Red Panda's chest hard, a distinctive _crack!_ informing her at least one rib had been broken by the kick. She kept her foot there as she aimed the sidearm at his head, the Red Panda sneering up at her.

"You really think you'll win this war? The Templars have survived this long because there will _always_ be others who share our ideals." He said, Lumi lowering the sidearm and pulling the trigger, sending the first round into his left shoulder. He clenched his jaw against the pain, letting out a hiss, but otherwise didn't show any signs of being shot. Lumi adjusted her aim and fired again, this time into the right side of his chest, and he barked in pain. Lumi grinned.

"Yeah, well, you won't be there to spread your ideals. I consider that a win." Lumi fired again, sending the bullet into the center of his chest, just to the right of his heart and narrowly missing her foot. Lumi lowered her aim further and made to pull the trigger when the gun was snatched from her paw. She turned her head quickly, her other paw dropping to a Throwing Knife, but stopped when she saw Danny.

"What the hell are you doing?" He asked, anger clear in his voice as he glanced down at the Red Panda. "This is not how we do things." He blinked, as if just noticing something for the first time. He took a small step back.

"What? My eyes? Yeah, I know." Lumi said, grabbing her gun back angrily just as easily as Danny had taken it from her while she was distracted. "And to answer your question, I'm killing a Templar. Exactly what I've been doing for the last three or so years of my life."

" _This_ – _"_ Danny gestured to the Red Panda angrily "– is not how we do things. If you want to kill somebody, you do so as quickly as possible. You do not draw out their suffering unnecessarily." Lumi growled, the sound making Danny take another step back.

"Maybe it wasn't clear from how cruel I was being, but I've met this bastard before. Alekka, remember?" Lumi snapped, Danny blinking in surprise.

"He...is the one that did it?" He asked, turning his gaze to the Red Panda, who sneered at him mockingly.

"He is not worth the time to kill directly, you hear me? Let's go. We still have a Contract to complete." Lumi sent one last shot into the Red Panda, this time in the right leg, and holstered her 1911 as she turned and walked away. A Wolf with a pair of NVG's strapped to his belt cowered from her. Lumi stopped as she passed him and turned her head to look at him before dipping her gaze to the goggles at his waist. He looked down and quickly pulled them free, extending them towards her. She took it and tossed them back towards Danny. The Cheetah caught them easily, placing them over his head. The Wolf took a step back in uncertainty, and Lumi jerked her head towards where she and Danny had come from.

"Thank you." The Wolf said quietly as he turned and sprinted down the hall. Lumi waited for a moment, then drew her 1911 and fired a round into the back of his neck, the Wolf falling to the ground. He twitched for a moment, then stilled, and Lumi holstered the pistol before turning and continuing down the hall. She stopped by a body, looking down and tilting her head. She picked up a large gun with a drum magazine attached, pulling it free and looking at the ammo inside. She pulled one free, looked it over, and pushed it back inside before turning her gaze to Danny and grinning. She cradled the weapon and resumed walking.

Danny looked down at the Red Panda curiously, the mammal glancing between him and Lumi.

"She this bad last time you two met?" Danny asked, the Red Panda scoffing.

"I thought she was always this bad." He remarked, looking towards where the Wolf had fallen. "Shame about Stevens. He had so much potential."

"Oh I bet he did." Danny said as he began to walk away after Lumi, lowering the NVGs over his eyes and turning them on.

"I'll be seeing you, Assassin! Have fun!" The Red Panda called, Danny ignoring him as he walked away.

When Danny caught up with Lumi, they were both silent for a long moment.

"Did you have to kill the Wolf?" He asked, glancing at the Vixen.

"Yes." She answered simply, no emotion whatsoever in her voice

"Well, did you have to let him think he was going to get to live first?" Danny asked, a hint of anger in his voice.

"It is being a psychological aspect. I do not expect you to understand. He'll live anyway." Lumi said, Danny blinking beneath the NVGs. "I missed."

"You did?" He asked, looking over his shoulder curiously.

"Well, all the important stuff at least." Lumi answered, shrugging.

"Yeah, I kinda figured you hit something." Danny remarked, turning his gaze back to the hallway.

When they reached the end of the hallway with no further encounters, Danny glanced at Lumi. She glanced at him. Both waited to see what the other would do.

"Ugh, fine, I'll clear. You spot me." Lumi said as she hefted the gun she'd picked up, backing up a few steps from the door. Danny nodded and she approached the door, raising her foot and delivering as hard a kick as she possibly could. The doors flung open with a loud _BOOM!_ that hurt Lumi's ears. She stepped into the room and raised the gun, taking aim as the group of mammals, namely Wolves, all turned to look at her.

"Oh for Christ's sake." One of the Wolves muttered as Lumi grinned.

"Knock knock, my friends!" The gun in Lumi's paws barked, one unlucky Wolf catching the round across the head. The result had Danny averting his gaze and struggling to hold his stomach contents where they were supposed to be.

Lumi's expression was one of maniacal glee as the gun in her paws shredded the Templars inside the room, some losing digits while others lost arms or legs. When the gun clicked empty and there were still some Wolves standing, she tossed the weapon aside and pulled her pistols free. She made short work of the last few Wolves, even having spare ammo left over that she didn't hesitate to use all on the last one.

As silence took hold over the room, Lumi's chest heaving and eyes wide in excitement, Danny slowly approached the Vixen.

"Lumi, you okay?" He asked, placing a paw on her shoulder gently. She froze, then slumped visibly as she turned.

"Yeah. Just...wow, that was fun." Danny arched an eyebrow. "You know, shooting the gun, not the killing part. God, I _love_ the Atchisson Assault Shotgun!" The Arctic Fox exclaimed, reloading her sidearms and placing them in their holsters. She picked up the discarded weapon. "I am keeping this thing."

"That is fine by me. If I may ask, though, what exactly is so special about it?" Lumi's gaze snapped to Danny, a small smile touching her muzzle at the question. It wasn't a comforting smile.

"The Atchisson Assault Shotgun can reach a firing speed of three hundred rounds per minute, is fully automatic with the only fire select being how long you hold the trigger, and can be used to clear a room with one person instead of a whole squad. The recoil is almost non-existent in this thing! Even a Rabbit or a Hare could use this, if they could hold it!" Lumi explained, Danny taking a step back at how excited she sounded to tell him this.

"Whoa, calm down there, Lumi. We still have a mammal to find, remember? Let's save the borderline psychotic breaks for after the Contract is done, yeah?" Danny said, holding up his paws. Lumi pouted, but nodded nonetheless.

"I guess..." She said glumly, kicking a foot to further show how disappointed she was she couldn't continue. She turned and glanced around the room, her ears perking up. She turned to Danny. "Hey, the folder said Delilah was a female Wolf, right?" She asked, Danny nodded slowly.

"Yeah...why?" He asked, Lumi turning her gaze back to where she'd seen whatever it was she'd seen.

"I think we disrupted her meeting." She said as she approached a pile of bodies, crouching down and tilting her head. She reached out and picked up a pulped Wolf head that, sure enough, was female. "You got a photo?"

"Not that it will help." Danny remarked dryly as he approached, his stomach churning as he took in the sight of the Wolf's head in more and more detail. The entire lower portion was gone, leaving only the hanging eyes and the upper skull. Danny pulled a picture he'd had printed from a pocket, holding it up and glancing between the photo and the head. "It's her alright." He confirmed as he stood. Lumi dropped the head with disdain clear in her eyes, and Danny turned to speak when something crashed into his chest, taking him to the ground and knocking the NVGs from his head. He raised his arms to protect himself as the Gray Fox Vixen from earlier raised a paw clutching a knife, ready to bring it down. A white blur knocked her off Danny right as she began to lower the blade.

Lumi skidded to a stop when the Vixen kicked her off, the Arctic Fox on all fours while the Gray Fox stood. Lumi snarled warningly, the Gray Fox's shaking paw being the only sign of fear she showed as she stared down the clearly Savage Vixen. Danny watched as Lumi charged forward, dodging a swipe of the knife and leaping up. Her jaws latched around the Gray Fox's throat and knocked her to the ground, Lumi ripping her head back and tearing out the throat of the Vixen in a violent explosion of blood. The Gray Fox gasped as she died, bubbles forming in the blood as she tried to breath. The light left her eyes and she stilled, though Lumi was still hunched over her body with a snarl in place as she stared into the Vixen's eyes.

"I'm...sorry." Danny blinked in surprise at how raspy Lumi's voice was as she turned her gaze to him. Her eyes were slits, though they were slowly rounding out, and she stood on her hind paws with only a brief sway from balance loss. "I'm sorry...you had to see that." Danny slowly stood, his eyes still wide, as he reached up and keyed his comm for Is' channel.

" _Who is it?"_ Larsson's voice was slurred, likely from sleep, and Danny hesitated.

"Is, I need your help. Lumi...she's reverted."

 **And that does it for Chapter 27 of Zootopian Assassins! God, it took me forever to get this done but I'm proud of it. I promised LapisLucius42 Savage Lumi, I delivered Savage Lumi! Granted it was only a brief showing, but still. I delivered. And yes, Lumi does get to keep the AA-12. Admit it, the AA-12 is awesome. And everything Lumi said about it is true, just replace Rabbit or Hare with child. I am so happy I finally got this done because it was being an absolute** ** _pain_** **to write up until this point. I've wrote more for this Chapter in the past week than I did in the first few weeks or months after I started it. I do pray this means I can write more for it, because I'm getting very far behind. Anyway, this is getting long enough, I'll see you guys...next update. Word Count: 5,504**


	29. Price of Reversion

**Hey guys Price here and welcome to Chapter 28 of Zootopian Assassins! I am so excited to finally be back to writing for this because I have been so distracted lately it isn't even funny. Thank god for the weekly uploads and my burst of writing, eh? But yeah, I really enjoyed writing last Chapter, especially the fight scenes, and I also liked showing off a bit of Lumi's gun otaku-ness. She's a fan of guns. Like, a** ** _huge_** **fan. Yes, I reiterate, she is keeping the AA-12, though it likely won't come into play until a bit later in the story. I tried to show that the other Assassins – more so Nick, Judy, and Danny than the other Reclute – knew about Lumi's ability to go Savage if pushed, but they've never seen it up close or at all, or at least from her. Because, most of the time, Lumi is as friendly as can be to other mammals, so Danny's a bit shocked to see that the whole 'Reversion' thing is true. And yes, that's what I'll be calling the ability, and those who share it will be called...well, I'm gonna steal the term from a favorite author of mine, but they'll be called either Reverters or Primals. Still undecided on the name so far. Anyway, this is getting long enough, I think it's time to get...onto the story!**

Is was awake and active the moment Danny told him Lumi had reverted, and he silently swore the fact Danny had decided to take her on a Contract without him despite the knowledge she could do this if pushed too far. Everyone had a breaking point where a little bit of their primeval instincts and other, similar things came out to play, Lumi just so happened to have her family and friends as a berserk button. Is was still on the fence if that was a good thing or not.

"I'll be right there, Danny. Whatever you do, don't let her out of your sight. Even if she seems fine, you never know. Even if you're her friend, she may mistake you." Is warned, hearing a scoff from the other end.

" _Uh, thanks, but I don't think that will be a problem. You see...everyone else is dead."_ Is blinked in surprise at that, but then remembered it was Lumi. He really shouldn't be surprised at this point.

"Scale?" Is asked, already out the door after a quick peek at Aukusta to make sure she was asleep and hurriedly changing into his Brotherhood garb.

" _I'm thinking a ten. Maybe an eleven."_ Danny answered, Is actually freezing at the answer before scowling.

"What did she do this time?" The Hare asked, legitimate worry filling his voice.

" _Um...she used two blocks of C4 – still not sure when or how the Brotherhood acquired that – and two shotguns. One looked like an M4 with a pump, sort of, and the other she called an...huh? Oh, okay. Thanks."_ Is furrowed his eyebrow in confusion, not really understanding. _"Okay, sorry. Geez. Okay, sorry about that, Is. Lumi was...ahem,_ correcting _me on the guns. She said they were a Franchi Sporting Purpose Automatic Shotgun Model 15 and an Atchisson Assault Shotgun."_

"Oh. I take it she made use of them?" Is inquired, a scoff coming from the other end. Is stepped out into the chilly Tundra Town air, glancing around before setting off towards the train station.

" _You could say that. Seriously, I hope you have a strong stomach."_ Danny answered, chuckling softly then stopping quickly.

"...I'm not even going to comment on that." Is remarked as he stepped into an alley and, after checking to see if it was clear, fired his Rope Launcher and pulled himself up onto the roof. He set off once more at a light sprint.

" _Yeah, that was a stupid thing to say. Please hurry, though. I'm not sure how this works and I don't want to accidentally set her off."_ Danny said, Is nodding more to himself and out of habit than anything.

"Oh I wouldn't worry too much. If she reverted to save you I doubt she's going to attack you." A dull thud and a screech of surprise sounded from the phone, and Is winced.

" _Oh god, Lumi no!"_ Danny shouted, a huff reaching Is' ears soon after.

"You know, there are words and phrases that I _really_ need to stay away from when dealing with Lumi." Is said to himself, shaking his head in slight annoyance. "I'll be there as soon as possible Danny. Hold tight." He disconnected the call and glanced to his left as the night train entered his view. He jumped to the next building easily, the train rapidly approaching, and he pushed off as hard as he could, firing his Rope Launcher into the train as it sped past and nearly having his arm torn from its socket from the sudden jerk. He slammed against the metal and hoped that nobody heard the impact. He settled into where he lay as best as possible and waited.

When the train left Tundra Town – very nearly smashing him against the wall, of which he _narrowly_ fit under – he tried to recall which part of the city the building was. When he remembered, he quickly released the Rope Launcher from where it was still stuck in the metal and let himself slide to the end of the car before he planted his feet against the edge and pushed off to his right, firing his Rope Launcher ahead of where he was to account for the travel time and the speed of which he would be jerked.

Pulling himself onto the roof, he set off quickly, trying to reach the building as quickly as possible.

Danny ducked and rolled as Lumi leapt at him again, his mind working overtime to figure out why she was suddenly attacking him. Logic dictated Lumi had reverted to protect him, so why the sudden switch to aggression? It didn't make any sense.

"Come on, Lumi, why are you doing this?" He asked, though he knew it was useless. He'd just been standing there with Lumi seeming to finally calm down, but she'd suddenly gone rigid and turned, lashing out with her jaws towards his stomach and sending him falling back in surprise. "Come on, stop this! There's no reason for it, I'm a friend!" He shouted, dodging another leap. That one had been way too close for comfort. It would seem he'd have to fight if he wanted to hold out long enough.

When Lumi leaped next, he ducked under it and pulled the Walther at her hip free, pointing it at her warningly when she turned. Lumi froze all but the snarl that formed on her lips, circling around the Cheetah as if she knew what the gun was.

 _'Yeah, you remember what you've done with this thing, don't you?'_ Danny thought, licking his lips nervously as the Vixen continued to circle. Danny eyed the pouches on her side that held the C4, wondering if he could get to them. He'd have to try.

"Come get me, Keto." Danny muttered, tossing the gun aside and raising his paws in a defensive stance. Lumi eyed the gun for a long moment before dashing forward, leaping at him with jaws wide. Danny ducked under her again and ripped the pouches from the belt, though he was unable to pull the detonator free as well, which fell to the floor.

Lumi rolled to her paws, her lips still pulled back in a snarl, and her gaze flicked between the pouches and the detonator. Danny saw the recognition in her eyes, and they both leapt for it. Danny's paw wrapped around it as Lumi's jaws snapped shut on his forearm. Danny hissed as her lower jaw found purchase in his skin while the upper jaw bounced off the plates harmlessly, and he used his other paw to pry her lower jaw off his arm and pushed her away. She leapt again and he brought his legs up as he leaned back, flipping her over him with a kick and rolling with the movement. He came up and turned quickly, tossing the pouches towards the wall. Lumi watched them sail, then turned back to Danny. He clicked the detonator and the wall exploded outward with a resounding _**BOOM!**_ that made both him and Lumi flinch, and he began to mentally count down to when the cops would likely arrive. He didn't have long.

Lumi flinched when the wall was destroyed, but didn't otherwise react. They stood where they were for a long minute, and Danny glanced towards the hole. She charged and Danny screwed his eyes shut, preparing for the worst, when a yelp made him open his eyes. He stared in shock at what he saw before him.

Is stumbled to a stop at the sound of an explosion, his eyes going wide in shock and fear as he realized what the sound might mean.

"No..." He mumbled, staying frozen for a few seconds before shaking himself and dashing forward again, now well beyond fearing the worst.

As the building came into view, he noticed the hole in the wall and, with the building separated from his by a single street, pushed off the edge of the roof as hard as he could. He fired his Rope Launcher and prayed he didn't miscalculate.

Is swung through the dust unharmed, his eyes locking onto Lumi as the Rope Launcher barb slung back into where it lay when not used. He collided with the Vixen, sending her to the floor with a yelp and sliding for a few feet before stopping. Is lay on top of her, panting as he stared down at the Vixen. She stared back up at him, her eyes still savage, and Is waited to see what would happen.

"What in the hell...?" Danny said, Is looking up towards him. Lumi used the distraction to great effect, her head lurching up and wrapping her jaws around his throat, rearing up and pinning him to the floor. Danny gasped and made to held, but Is held up a paw as he grimaced against the pressure Lumi's jaws provided. She growled, but that was quickly replaced by a whine of confusion as she took a breath. She breathed deeply, hesitantly releasing Is' neck as she raised her head and looked down at him, tilting her head.

"Yeah, you recognize me, don't you, Lumi?" Is asked calmly, Lumi whining in confusion again as she slowly lowered her head towards his again, taking a deep breath. Is closed his eyes in case his scent of Mate wasn't enough to discourage the scent of food, preparing for the worst. A warm, wet presence on his cheek made his eyes snap open. Lumi's tongue disappeared into her mouth as he did, and she leaned down again and licked his cheek. Is smiled. "There ya go, girl." He said softly, Danny watching from where he'd been the entire time, feeling a small flicker of hope at Lumi's actions take root. Lumi's jaws parted, but all that escaped was a slight wheeze. She closed her jaws, then tried again.

"I-Is. Mate." She rasped out, Is smiling further.

"That's right, Lumi. Mate." He affirmed, moving to sit up. Lumi placed a paw on his chest and pushed him down, Is blinking.

"No. _Mate._ " Is flushed as he realized what she meant, and he glanced at Danny.

"Uh, Lumi, we don't have time. The cops will likely..." Is trailed off when Lumi growled, his eyes widening.

"No knot. Hare. Time." She growled, Is rolling his eyes.

"Okay, one, Hares are _not_ that easy with our Mate. Two, not having a knot means nothing. We still do mandatory cuddle time." He said, Lumi growling in frustration above him. "But we do have a place. If you can wait twenty minutes, we can be up all night if you want." Lumi paused to consider that. She nodded her head. "Good. Now, can I get up?" Lumi removed her paw and backed away, glancing at Danny.

"Sorry." She apologized as the Cheetah looked at her.

"I'm not even going to ask what made you do that, Lumi, because I honestly don't care. Just keep it under control next time." He warned, Lumi nodding her head. Danny walked past her and out the hole in the wall, Is watching him go. He turned back to his Mate.

"Think you can stand?" He asked, Lumi raising herself up easily. She dusted off her paws and Is arched an eyebrow.

"Well, that was fun. Now, where did my Walther go...?" Lumi walked off in search of the pistol, leaving Is to stare after her. After processing his thoughts, he blinked.

"Wait, wait, wait. Are you telling me that entire thing was _fake_!?" He shouted, Lumi looking up at him.

"Yeah." She answered, looking back down and letting out a happy sound as she bent down and picked up her Walther. She looked back to Is as she holstered it. "Well, the last bit with you was. Me attacking Danny was real. Really need to practice more so I can control it better." She admitted, and Is let out a slightly relieved sigh.

"Well, you could also _not_ revert." He suggested, Lumi shrugging as she walked past him.

"Not something I can control, Is. Just happens." She pointed out, Is huffing. He made to argue further when police sirens reached his ears.

"We'll continue this later. Right now, we should go." He said, Lumi nodding. They both rushed out of the hole in the wall, sprinting across the street and into the alley. Lumi fired her Rope Launcher first, then Is followed when she pulled herself up as the squad cars squealed to a halt at the building's entrance and various officers stepped out, quickly entering the building.

When they arrived home, Is turned to face Lumi only to stop when he saw her grin as the lock clicked into place behind her, her paw dropping down to her side from having turned the mechanism.

"So...all night, huh?" She asked suggestively, Is frowning.

"Lumi, we need to discuss the whole 'reversion' thing fir-" Is was cut off by Lumi dashing forward and placing her muzzle to his, Is freezing in surprise before deciding to just bring the subject up in the morning.

As they stumbled towards the couch, Lumi knew it was going to be a fun night.

Danny stepped into his home with a small sigh, walking down the hall and into his room. He approached the far wall and – reaching out with the Sense – pressed a certain part of the wall. It silently rotated to reveal a small indented space that he kept all his gear in.

Danny reached up and pulled off his mask, placing it on the small stand made for it. He pulled the wrapped Kyoketsu Shogei from it's location on his belt and hung it from the small upturned hook towards the right side of the space. He reached up and pulled off the top section of the outfit, shaking his head briefly as he walked over to the bed and placed it down on the blanket. He unlatched the right bracer and set it down, moving to do the same to the left when a creak sounded out behind him. Danny spun, extending the blade as he did so, and very nearly stabbed his brother in the neck. Danny quickly retracted his arm, letting the blade slide back into its compartment as his brother stared in shock.

"Sorry about that Ben, but you should know not to sneak up on me." Danny remarked, unlatching the bracer and setting it down on the bed. Ben cleared his throat awkwardly.

"Right. Are you just now getting home?" He asked, Danny turning to face him in answer. Clawhauser looked down, saw the blood on Danny's outfit, and averted his gaze. "Oh."

"Sorry, but it's necessary. Should be hearing about it in the morning, though." Danny said, Clawhauser sighing.

"Who went?" He asked, Danny glancing down at his robes briefly.

"Me and L-" Danny cut himself off, not knowing if Ben knew the various other Brothers' and Sisters' names. "A Recluta." He finished, Ben nodding.

"They that good?" Ben asked, Danny pausing to think.

"They definitely know how to shoot guns. Seriously, I do hope you never have to see what a twelve gauge slug does to a Wolf's head." He finally answered, Ben shivering. "But yes, they are definitely skilled outside of guns. Knives, for example, as well as close combat." There was a slight pause as Danny considered the way Is and Lumi had nearly been caught. "I do hope she never has to use those skills against the Boys and Girls in Blue."

"Do you think she would?" Ben asked, a tad nervously, and Danny hesitated.

"I...honestly couldn't tell you. Maybe, maybe not. Depends on how far she gets pushed, I suppose." He answered, wishing he could do better, but his brother nodded. "Go on back to bed. I just need to get this clean and I'll be going to sleep too." Danny said, Ben nodding after a few seconds of indecision.

"I'll see you in the morning, Danny." He said as he stepped out, Danny smiling as he pulled the blood stained outer layer off.

"Yeah. In the morning." He agreed, though nobody heard him, and he stepped out of his bedroom and into the small laundry room off to the side. He tossed the outfit in the washer, then set it and walked back into his room. He pulled the shirt off, hanging it on the armor stand in the middle of the indent in his wall. He hung the pants on a hook and put the boots in front of the stand, then turned and picked up the bracers, setting them on the ledge made for them.

With a sigh, Danny sat down on the bed and waited, ears straining for the _ding!_ that told him the washer was done.

When it finally came, he stood and walked out of his and into the other room, opening the washer and, nodding his head at the clean outfit, hung it on a small hook off to the side to dry. He smiled, content with a job well done despite what had almost happened near the end, then winced and shook his wrist. He looked down, frowning at the shallow puncture wounds Lumi biting him had caused even through the leather of the bracer's underside. He turned and walked out of the laundry room, looking for a med kit he knew was somewhere around the house.

The morning after the Contract had been completed, Nick stepped into the ZPD with Judy right behind him, waving in greeting to Clawhauser. The Cheetah waved back, then gestured for them to come over. Nick figured they had enough time, so he approached.

"Hey, Donuts, how're you doing?" He asked, leaning against the desk as best he could. Suffice to say, that wasn't going to work. He stepped back so Clawhauser could see him.

"Good, good." Clawhauser answered, then glancing around quickly. "So, Danny told me he and Lumi went out on a Contract last night." He whispered, Judy and Nick glancing at each other.

"They did?" Judy asked, furrowing her brow.

"Yeah. Did you guys not know?" Clawhauser asked, Nick shaking his head.

"No, nobody informed us. In fact, they _should_ have reported on it as soon as they were done." Nick answered, frowning at how the two had failed to report back. "Did Danny say anything that would make them stop from reporting back?" He asked, Clawhauser thinking.

"No, not that I can remember, at least. It's likely they just forgot for some reason or another. They'll probably report back later." Clawhauser said reassuringly, Judy and Nick nodding hesitantly.

"Well, thanks for the update. We'll see you later, Ben." Judy said, the cheetah waving in farewell as they made their way to the Bullpen. They stepped inside and made their way to their seat, Wolford keeping his gaze on them a moment longer than most of the other mammals. He stared for a few seconds longer, then returned his gaze to his partner Nadine.

After a minute or two passed, the door opened and Chief Bogo entered to the usual fanfare. He glanced at Nick and Judy, then returned his gaze to the folder in his paws. The noise died down quickly as the other officers realized he wasn't telling them to be quiet like usual. A few shared concerned looks at the unusual response.

"Last night, there was an explosion at an abandoned building. It is unclear if the explosion was accidental or purposeful, but there were no survivors. The mammals inside the building were all killed by either stab, slash, or gunshot wounds with a few from explosion wounds. What they have in common, however, is this." The projector in the ceiling came to life, projecting a female Wolf with the upper half of her head blown off from her lower jaw, and Judy blanched at the image. A necklace holding the Templar Cross lay next to her. "Ballistic analysis has determined the wound to be from a twelve gauge slug round that impacted her jaw and decapitated her, and a great many other Wolves in the room had similar wounds, but some had pistol wounds." Murmuring began at that, and Wolford raised his paw. Bogo motioned him to speak.

"Sir, is it possible we could be dealing with something a little...out of our league?" He asked, concern heavy both in his voice and on his face. "I mean, they clearly have access to firearms and know how to use them _very_ well, and _somebody_ there had access to explosives. With all due respect, sir, this is something for the ZBA or ZIA, is it not?" A few officers murmured agreement, but it was obvious Wolford had only wanted to ask an extremely needed question. And he was right. This _was_ something for the ZIA or ZBA.

"While I do agree this may be out of our league, I can safely say without a doubt that the mammals who did this –" Bogo gestured to the carnage again "– will not harm any of us in here." Wolford looked confused for a moment, then understanding dawned in his expression.

"How can you be so certain, sir?" Rhinowitz asked, Bogo sighing as he gestured to the grate in the center of the room. Every officer turned their head to it, eyes locked on the metal intently.

"You can come down now." The grate fell to the floor and a familiar shape fell with it, rolling to a stand. Nadine started, one paw going to the taser at her hip, then stopping as recognition settled. She frowned as the Cheetah looked around.

"Hey." He said, waving his paw in greeting before walking down the aisle and stepping up next to Bogo. Everybody watched in silence, a few officers glancing at each other. "What, no fanfare or anything?" He looked up at Bogo. "They always this rude?"

"Hey!" A female Wolf – Judy believed her name was Barker or something similar – at the back of the room exclaimed.

"Please do not insult my officers, Assassin. You're already on thin ice due to your profession." Bogo warned, Danny blinking.

"It's a life." He said, the Cape Buffalo looking down at him briefly.

"I'm...sorry?"

"I said this is a life. You don't just walk away from the Brotherhood without a very good reason." He paused as he seemed to realize the implications of the words. "I don't mean that we _kill_ anybody who wants to leave, they just can't ever come back and forfeit whatever connections they had as a Brother or Sister. We may be Assassins, but we aren't savages." The last line was said with humor, though few of the officers assembled found it funny.

"Of which your performance last night was a marvelous indication." Bogo snarked, Danny hanging his head slightly as he sighed.

"That particular Sister has a fondness for guns, Chief Bogo, I will admit. The effects the bullets have on flesh are rather grievous, especially with the shotgun she recently acquired, but they do as intended and she displays a rather unique...shall we say ability that is useful even at the worst of times. Rest assured, I have no intention of letting any of your officers suffer a single scratch from the Brotherhood." He said reassuringly, Wolford glancing at his partner.

"And the other mammals, the ones you fight; what about them?" He asked, Danny pausing to contemplate the answer he would give.

"If you inquire about their safety, then I say the mammals in charge absolutely have to go. The mooks, on the other paw...well, that just depends on if you or we get to them first." Danny answered, letting the implications of what would happen if the Brotherhood found them first would be. They were fairly obvious. "If you inquire about _your_ safety, on the other paw, that I have no control over. It will all depend on how careful you are, as well as how willing you are to defend yourself to the last resort."

"You mean kill them." Fangmeyer accused, Danny shrugging.

"Do what you have to, is all I mean." Danny responded, Bogo clearing his throat.

"If you have any questions, now would be a good time to ask them, while you can." He announced, almost all the paws raising.

"Aside from how many mammals I've killed, please." Danny remarked, just about all the paws dropping back down. He pointed to the Wolf in the back.

"Yes, just one question, but do you have any equipment that would be useful to us, the police?" She asked, Danny pausing in thought.

"Oh most definitely. Though the question isn't what we have, it's if we'll share it." Danny answered, the Wolf frowning.

"Well...will you?" She asked, Danny looking up towards the ceiling and leaning against the podium.

"I suppose we _could_...for a price." Shocked silence greeted his answer, and he patiently awaited the outburst he knew would come.

"Are you seriously suggest that we fund _murderers_?" Danny's eyes narrowed at that, and he let loose a small growl. He stepped closer until he was in the center of the room.

"We are not murderers, officer. We do not kill indiscriminately. One of our most important rules is to never lay our blades or other weapons on the flesh of an innocent mammal. We kill only if we have to outside of our Templar enemies, and even then we prefer to incapacitate rather than kill if given the chance with non-Templars." He said, the Wolf opening her mouth again. She closed it, appeared to consider her next question, and kept it closed. She nodded. "I suggest you prepare yourself, all of you. The Templars won't be so hesitant to kill you if it benefits them or you get in their way." With that said, Danny raised his arm and fired his Rope Launcher, disappearing into the vent. All was silent for a long moment, then the Wolf opened her mouth again.

"Sir, aren't vents supposed to be too small for traversing?" She asked, a look of genuine confusion on her muzzle.

"Priorities, Barker." Somebody muttered, though they went ignored.

"Normally, I'd say yes. However, the mammal who designed the vents...apparently he thought it necessary. I can't say why, but they did, so we have vents a medium sized mammal can move around in, albeit a little uncomfortably." Bogo answered, Barker nodding and glancing at the vent again, then down to the grate. "Any more questions?" Nobody raised a paw. "Good. Assignments!"

The rest of the morning briefing went as usual, though with a little more detail on the fight from the night before.

Nick and Judy were assigned to Tundra Town. Apparently, there had been yips and growls and howling coming from a certain apartment complex all night, but nobody had been brave enough to investigate.

"Twenty bucks says it's Lumi and Is enjoying a job well done." Nick remarked as they pulled to a stop outside the building, Judy rolling her eyes. He was probably right.

They knocked on the door to the apartment, waiting patiently. They didn't have to wait long before Lumi opened the door, her fur greatly disheveled and overall a giant mess.

"Is there...something...I can do for you...officers?" She asked, panting heavily. Nick smirked down at Judy.

"Well, Lumi, _noise_ is a big issue at night, so..." Nick trailed off, Lumi blinking.

"Oh. My apologies, I was a little...distracted." She looked over her shoulder, then leaned in closer. "I swear, Is is so cute when he's catatonic." Judy frowned at Lumi's words.

"Um, actually-"

"Oh, it's okay, Judy. Is has given me permission." She said, Judy blinking.

"Oh, well, okay. I guess we'll see you later then...?" Judy said uncertainly, glancing at Nick. He shrugged.

"I assume so, unless something comes up." He said, Lumi nodding and shutting the door with a wave. Nick and Judy both blinked at the suddenness of the door being closed, then glanced at each other. They shrugged.

When they climbed into their cruiser and the vehicle was ready, Nick turned to Judy with a smug grin on his muzzle.

"What?" Judy asked after a minute, finally annoyed enough to speak.

"You realize Lumi was completely naked when she answered the door, right?"

 **And that does it for Chapter 28 of Zootopian Assassins! I am glad to announce I'm back on a roll with these Chapters! I know it likely isn't noticeable since I upload once a week, but I did this Chapter in two or three days, compared to the two or three** ** _months_** **it took to do Chapter 27, so I consider that progress. I'm taking a break from my other stories to work on this some more with a few short excursions into my other works to keep them alive. I am sorry it's taking me a while to write the next Chapter of Kinesis Chronicles, but that's more because I want to work on this some. I** ** _will_** **finish the Chapter by the end of April...or at least I hope. I plan to introduce another sorta-crossover Character in Chapter 8, with Lions having Ferrokinesis and a Subclass on manipulating wires. I think you guys can guess the Character I'll reference. Anyway, this is getting long enough, I'll see you guys...next update. Word Count: 5,208**


	30. Surprising Developements

**Hey guys Price here and welcome to Chapter 29 of Zootopian Assassins! I am excited to get onto the next Arc, though I'm not entirely sure what to call it. We have First Blood, Turmoil, and Associates so far, and the last Arc will be called End of The Line or something to that effect, so some names will be much appreciated. For story wise, we'll mostly be introducing new Characters or establishing ones that are already introduced, so there's a bit of help if you guys want to make suggestions. I do hope you like this Chapter as well as the next ones coming up, because I quite enjoy this series. One of my favorite works I've had the pleasure to work on. Oh, also, real quick, but this Chapter mainly follows Gamma Team with a few cuts to Daedalus and Perseus, mainly to give them some characterization. Also, there's a short bit of Russian at the beginning, the translation is at the end. For Perseus and Daedalus' outfits, think Shay Cormac's Assassin Killer outfit, except with a Brotherhood symbol instead of the Templar Cross on the mask for Perseus, while Daedalus just has Shay's normal Templar outfit with any Templar Cross changed to the Brotherhood symbol for both outfits. Anyway, enough blabbering, I think it's time to get...onto the story!**

Vaz sat on the couch of his and Naomi's apartment, inspecting his claws absentmindedly.

"Oi, Vaz, can I ask you something?" His mate, Naomi, asked as she leaned over him from behind the couch. He looked up.

"Shoot." He said, tilting his head slightly.

"...Did you have to invite Sebastian over?" She asked, slight annoyance in her voice.

"I'm right here, Naomi." The Sable in question said dryly from Vaz's left, both Siberian Tigers turning their heads to look at him.

"To answer your question, Naomi, I figured it'd be good for us as a team to do so. We don't really see each other much outside of our night jobs, so, you know, I thought it'd be nice for us to just have a little day to get to know each other better. We've known Sebastian for almost three whole years now, and we barely know a thing about him." Vaz answered, turning his head back up to his mate. Naomi frowned.

"Ugh, fine, if it is necessary." She said, looking annoyed.

"Still right here you two." Sebastian said, Naomi glancing at him. She stood and turned, walking into the small kitchen the apartment had and leaning against the counter in thought.

"Hey, Vaz, you hungry?" She asked, Vaz glancing towards Sebastian.

"Are you?" He asked quietly, Sebastian shaking his head. "No, we're good!" He said to Naomi, the Tigress nodding to herself.

"Is she normally so ignorant of guests?" Sebastian asked quietly, Vaz chuckling.

"She's not used to socializing much more than necessary. She'll get better eventually, don't worry." The Tiger said, Sebastian nodding disbelievingly

"Right." He muttered, earning a snort from Vaz.

"I can hear you, you know." Naomi said, Sebastian freezing as he stared at Vaz with fear in his eyes. Vaz rolled his eyes.

"Naomi, please don't give our team mate a heart attack. We've lost enough lately." He said, Sebastian lowering his head at the words. Naomi averted her gaze.

"Right." She agreed quietly, her mood dampened. There was silence for a long moment until Sebastian suddenly clapped his paws together, standing up.

"Hey, I got an idea! Why don't we get a few Brothers and Sisters and play a little game or something? It'll be fun, yeah?" He said, clearly trying to lighten the mood. Naomi looked at Vaz, an eyebrow arched in confusion.

"Well, I mean, that seems like a good idea. Who do you wanna call up?" Vaz said, Sebastian pausing to think.

"Well, Lumi and Is seem like they'd be good. Maybe Spots." He said, shrugging.

"What do you think, Naomi? That sound like fun?" Vaz asked, looking over his shoulder.

"That sounds...fun, yes." Naomi said, suddenly sounding nervous. She sighed. "Vasiliy, mozhno vas na minutku?" Vaz stiffened noticeably, the use of Russian an obvious indicator she didn't want Sebastian to listen.

"Chto-to ne tak, Naomi?" He asked, standing up from the couch. Sebastian pretended to busy himself with checking his claws.

"Net. Mne prosto nuzhno pogovorit' s toboy." Naomi said, eyes flicking towards the bedroom nervously.

"Da, da, vse v poryadke. Davay." Vaz said, moving towards the bedroom with Naomi close behind. She closed the door behind her, paws hovering in front of her nervously. Vaz felt worried, knowing it had to be bad to cause this kind of reaction in his mate.

"Vam nuzhno znat', Vasiliy." She said, her eyes closing as she sighed.

"Naomi, ty ne...beremenna?" Vaz asked, scared of the possibility.

"Net, net, eto prosto...mne nuzhno nenadolgo vernut'sya v Rossiyu." Naomi said the first part quickly and reassuringly, Vaz taking a deep breath of relief. Yes, he'd always wanted that to happen at some point, but not now, when they were a part of something so dangerous. He froze at the second part, however, not expecting to ever hear that from her.

"No pochemu?" He asked, not understanding why she would do so.

"Moy otets, on bolen. Oni ne ozhidayut, chto on prozhivet much longer, and I just ne znayu, chto delat', Vasiliy!" Vaz was thrown off by the sudden transition from Russian to Common, then back to Russian again, and his expression softened in pity.

"Ya ponimayu." He said, enveloping his mate in a hug comfortingly. "Ya poydo s toboy, togda." Naomi shook her head.

"Net, Vasiliy, mne nuzhno sdelat' eto odin." She argued, but Vaz wouldn't hear it.

"Net, ne nado, Naomi. Ya obeshchal tebe, chto budu ryadom, i ya sderzhu svoye slovo." He said, his mate sighing.

"Konechno, vy by skalazi, chto." She said with a chuckle, shaking her head.

"No konechno. Ya – Tigr moyego slova." Vaz remarked with amusement, pulling back slightly and resting his forehead against Naomi's. "My mozhem uyti, kak tol'ko zakhotite. My mozhem rasskazat' drugim tak zhe ili malo, kak vy khotite, chtoby oni zali."

"Bylo by nepravil'no khranit eto ot nikh." She said hesitantly, like she didn't know if she really believed that.

"Ya ne bespokoyus' ob etom. Ya bespokoyus' o tom, chto ty khochesh' delat'." Vaz said, Naomi sighing. She nodded.

"My skazhem im, kogda my vernemsya." She said, pulling away.

"Oi, you know I love you and that I'd do anything for you. You only have to ask." Vaz said, Naomi smiling thankfully.

"I know. Same for you." She replied, turning after a moment and walking out, Vaz following wordlessly. When they stepped back into the living room Sebastian was sitting where he'd been when they had left, but he did look mildly curious. He stood.

"I think I should probably go. I may not understand Russian, but I know a private matter when I see one." He said, Vaz moving to ask him to stay, then stopping.

"Thank you." Naomi said softly, Sebastian nodding.

"I'll see you two later." The Sable said as he approached the door, Vaz following him. He opened the door for the smaller mammal, Sebastian nodding in thanks as he stepped out. Vaz closed the door and turned back around to speak, stopping when he saw Naomi only a few inches away. He blinked. She leaned closer.

"We should start planning and packing." She said, Vaz blinking.

"Uh, when are we leaving?" He asked, surprised by her words.

"Well, I wanted to leave by next week." The Tigress answered, Vaz arching an eyebrow.

"Okay. Well, let's...get to it, then." He said, Naomi nodding and pulling back. She turned and walked away, Vaz pausing. He decided to take a risk and grabbed her wrist, pulling her back to him. She froze as he gently pulled her into a kiss, taken by surprise at his sudden expression of attraction. Sure, they had been dating for a while now, but they hadn't actually kissed yet. It was new, and strange, and she felt awkward. And she wanted _more_.

Vaz pulled away after a moment, noticeably swallowing and preparing for something to happen. Naomi blinked rapidly after a long moment and shook her head, looking at Vaz in surprise. He smiled nervously.

"I've been missing out." She remarked, Vaz blinking in surprise.

"Huh?"

"Is there more where that came from?" Naomi asked, Vaz taking a nervous step back as Naomi stepped forward.

"Well, I, uh, don't hav-" Vaz was silenced by Naomi's grin, gulping at the look.

"Don't care." With that, Naomi grabbed his paw and more or less dragged him down the hallway.

Perseus closed the book he was reading as his friend Daedalus stepped into the room, the Coywolf looking bored.

"Hey." He said, raising a paw in greeting. Perseus smiled.

"Hey." The Lynx parroted, standing up and stretching. Daedalus approached and picked up the book, looking at the cover in curiosity. He arched an eyebrow at Perseus.

"Really, Percy, The Vixen Who Played with Fire?" He asked, a chuckle escaping him. He set the book back down.

"Yes, David, really. I like that series." Percy retorted, a chuckle escaping the Coywolf at the use of his actual name. "Besides that, though, I've been thinking." He said, leaning over the couch and resting his head on his paws.

"About what?" David asked, tilting his head. Percy shrugged.

"Us." He said casually, David freezing, eyes wide in shock.

"U-us?" He stuttered, his voice nervous, and Percy sighed.

"Not like that, you goof. More like...how others see us, I guess. Do I love you? Yeah, as a friend and a brother. And I'm not usually one to care about what others say, but I know you were married only a few years back and I can't pretend I'm not bothered anymore. I think it would be best if...if I just left." David stared in shock, his mouth parting slightly.

"Left?" He questioned, hurt obvious in his voice.

"Just move somewhere else in the city. I'm sure I could find a place." Percy answered, sighing as he stood.

"Percy, no, please. You're all I have left. Please don't go." David begged, Percy pausing as he reached for his coat. He sighed again.

"Would you rather I stay, making you hurt more because mammals think we'e together when you've only so recently lost your wife and brother?" The Lynx asked, turning his gaze to David. The Coywolf remained silent, apparently not having an answer, and Percy pulled on his coat and made to leave as David's gaze fell and his arm lowered. He paused when light pawsteps sounded behind him, and he turned back around to find David standing right in front of him.

"Yes." He answered, wrapping his arms around the only slightly smaller mammal and pulling him into a hug. It was Percy's turn to freeze in surprise, never in a million years thinking that would be the Coywolf's response.

"But, David, other mammals already think we're more than friends!" He said, the Coywolf sighing.

"I know. But I don't care. I'm not going to lose the only mammal I have left because others like to gossip and spread rumors." The Coywolf pulled away slightly. "Besides, we're just friends, yeah?" He asked, Percy nodding after a moment.

"Yeah. We got nothing to worry about." He said, David smiling and ruffling the fur between his ears.

"There ya go. Now sit back down and let me groom you. Your fur is a mess." Percy stared at David in shock.

"But, David, isn't that an extremely intimate thing!?" He asked, more worried about how others would take it if they found out than anything.

"Normally, yes, but it can also be a mutual thing. I just know how much you hate taking a bath or a shower, so I figured I'd help out a bit. Let others read into it, we know the truth." Percy hesitated in replying, unsure how to feel about the offer, and David's expression softened in understanding. "Hey, it's fine if you don't want to, I just thought I'd offer. I understand you don't want to give the wrong message to anybody else, and that's fine. I won't hold it against you." He said reassuringly, Percy nodding after a moment.

"No, thank you for the offer. I'm touched you'd be willing to let others think we're together just so I won't make a fuss over having to take a shower, really." A moment of hesitation, then he nodded. "Thank you." He shrugged off his coat and the shirt came next as he sat down, David sitting down in front of him. Both hesitated, not wanting to make anything awkward on accident, and Percy sighed after a few moments. "Look, David, let's just get this over with before things get too awkward." The Coywolf nodded and shuffled around until he was behind Percy, then went to work with a nod from the Lynx.

An hour later found Percy lying on the floor and sighing in relief at how good he felt. After the surprisingly good grooming had come a just as surprisingly good massage, and David had hesitantly admitted to having done some practice when he was younger.

"Seriously, I'm not _that_ good." The Coywolf said from a few feet away, prompting a laugh from Percy as he turned his gaze to him.

"Don't sell yourself so short, David. We survive this and you could go professional. You're a natural." Percy said, his tone showing he genuinely believed it, and David smiled thankfully.

"I'll keep it in mind. Thanks for the praise." He said, standing with a groan as he shook his legs to get rid of the ache and numb. He glanced at Percy's back, worry for his wound acting up melting into appreciation, appreciation that had him reeling when he realized what it was of.

 _'No! Don't think like that!'_ He mentally scolded himself, shaking his head and blinking rapidly. He wasn't sure where it was coming from, but he didn't like it. It made things overly complicated. And nobody wanted that.

"Hey, you still with me?" Percy asked, David blinking when he realized Percy was standing in front of him, worry in his gaze. He hadn't even seen or heard him move.

"Yeah, sorry, just thinking. I'm fine." David said easily, smiling reassuringly as he clapped his friend on the shoulder. "How's your back? Still feeling good?" He asked, Percy rolling his eyes.

"It's been doing good for about a month now. I'm ready for the field." He said, David huffing.

"I know. Just like to make sure." He said, turning and walking into the bedroom. They shared it, but there were two different beds in two opposite corners, about as far as they could make them. Plus the beds were single wides, only able to hold a single mammal, _maybe_ two if they were severely malnourished and more like walking skeletons, or just smaller, like kits. He opened the small nightstand next to this bed and pulled one of the two bracers out, tapping the small screen to life. He pulled up the contacts and selected Veterano Hopps.

 _'Hey, Percy says he's ready. Open for eval?'_ He sent the message and waited for a response.

After a few moments – more like thirty minutes – the bracer chimed and he glanced at the screen.

 _'Yeah, give me and Wilde a bit. We're a bit tied up.'_ Was Hopps' message, a snort escaping David as he tried to hold back a laugh.

 _'Am I interrupting? Is this a bad time?'_ He asked jokingly, a chuckle escaping him.

 _'No, it's fine. We can be at the warehouse in twenty minutes.'_ Was Hopps' reply, and David sent a confirmation that they'd be there then and set the bracer back down, stepping from the room.

"Hey, Percy, we got an eval at the warehouse. Let's get ready." He said, the Lynx blinking in surprise as he looked at him.

"Alright." He said, shrugging as he approached. David stepped back inside the room and went about pulling a duffle bag from the closet and stuffing his outfit and gear into it, Percy doing the same with his own bag.

They stepped out of the apartment with bags hanging over shoulders and destination in mind.

Vaz didn't like the conflicting feelings he had at the moment. On one paw, sure, he and Naomi were more than just dating, which he'd always hoped for. But on the other paw...at what cost was this small victory attained?

"Stop broodin'." Naomi said lazily from beside him, Vaz arching an eyebrow at her.

"I never thought I'd see the day where you would shorten your words, even by just one letter." He remarked with amusement, Naomi rolling her eyes even as she rolled over and draped an arm over him.

"I'm sorry." She said, Vaz blinking in surprise.

"For what?" He asked, genuinely confused for a moment before her eyes averted from him.

"For this. I know you didn't want to go any further until everything was over, and I always respected you for that. Now I've probably ruined it because I'm too unfamiliar with these things to be patient after a small taste." Vaz scoffed, Naomi raising her gaze back to his in surprise.

"Naomi...do you hear me complaining?" He asked, the Tigress blinking before her expression softened. I lay her head down on his shoulder.

"No. I don't." She said after a long moment, a small smile touching her muzzle. "Thank you."

"I'll be there for ya, no matter what. You know that." Vaz said, Naomi chuckling.

"Yeah, I suppose I do." She agreed, closing her eyes, content to just lay there for a while longer. A prod to her side made her eyes snap back open.

"I need to pee." Vaz said, Naomi rolling her eyes in amusement even as she let him up.

He was pretty certain he'd never finished relieving his bladder so quickly.

Perseus dropped to the ground with his Brotherhood gear and outfit all on, Daedalus landing behind him. They both stood and approached a door a few meters away. They pushed it open, stepping into the training area which Judy and Nick stood in the center of.

"Ah, Perseus, Daedalus, nice to see you. Been a while." Nick remarked cheerfully, drawing a small smile from Perseus from under his scarf. He dipped his head in agreement.

"So, shall we get to it?" Judy asked, turning her head to gaze at Nick. He nodded. "Alright. Perseus, Daedalus, show us what you've got." The two males nodded, facing each other and backing up a few steps, raising their arms defensively as Judy and Nick backed away to a more safe distance.

Perseus narrowed his eyes, waiting to see what Daedalus would do. When the Coywolf remained just as still as he did, he sighed softly and charged forward. Daedalus waited, and when Percy swung at his head, he ducked under it and sent his knee into the Lynx's gut. He doubled over and Daedalus backed away, then came at him and rolled over his back, wrapping an arm around his throat as he swept his legs and tossed him to the ground. Percy stood, shaking his head to clear it, and Daedalus sent a paw at his head. Percy ducked and gripped his wrist, twisting it and lifting, then kicking his right shin and leaning over. Daedalus pushed off from the ground as he felt the Lynx pull, landing on his feet and yanking his arm back. Percy stumbled forward and Daedalus clotheslined him, the Feline landing on his upper back.

Nick glanced at Judy with an arched eyebrow, the Bunny sharing his glance.

"Ow." The Fox muttered, Judy nodding agreement. It did look like it hurt. They returned their gazes back to the mock fight before them.

Perseus wrapped his arms around Daedalus' waist, lifting him up and slamming him back down onto the ground, the Coywolf gasping as the air was driven from his lungs. Perseus lifted his paw, ready to bring it down, when Nick let out a sharp whistle. He turned his head.

"Yes?" He inquired, wondering what the Canine had whistled for.

"That's enough." He said, though he said it in a way that implied he and Judy were content with what they'd seen, rather than a warning.

"Yessir." Perseus said, standing. He extended his paw towards Daedalus, the Coywolf taking it readily and letting the Lynx pull him up. "Did you have to clothesline me?" He asked, Daedalus snorting.

"Probably not." He answered, Perseus rolling his eyes. They both turned to face the more experienced Assassins, curious what the outcome would be. Nick and Judy were whispering to each other. Well, it was more like muttering.

After a moment, they both nodded in agreement and turned.

"Daedalus, Perseus, we've decided to assign you to Beta. We'll inform Lumi and Is, and then we wait for them to get here." Nick said, the two former Templars nodding to show they understood. Judy began to tap away at her bracer.

Sebastian stepped into his apartment with a small sigh, moving over to the couch and plopping down as he fished his phone from his pocket. He scrolled through his contacts before finding the right one, then tapped it and waited as he pressed the phone to his ear.

" _Lex speaking, how may I help you?"_ Sebastian smiled at the usual pick up line.

"Hey Lex, it's Sebastian." He said, a moment of silence stretching. He waited patiently.

" _Sorry about that. Clara was telling me about a possible client."_ Lex said after a moment, Sebastian huffing in amusement.

"She always picks the worst times, I swear." Sebastian said jokingly, drawing a laugh from the Ferret.

" _Have to agree with you there, Sebastian. But she is a nice mammal, so I don't mind all that much."_ Lex said, Sebastian letting out a small hum.

"So, how have you been since I last called?" Sebastian asked after a brief moment, the Marten legitimately curious.

" _Good, good. Helped find a lost hiker about two weeks ago, so it's been an interesting month."_ The Ferret answered easily, her tone excited as she told him. _"So overall, the Tanuki was in pretty good shape despite being lost for about a month, especially where he was. He got lucky he only got some minor frostbite. Apparently, he found a small copse of trees not too far from where he'd gotten separated from his group and used the wood to make a fire. If he hadn't found the copse, he likely wouldn't have survived very long."_ She concluded, Sebastian humming happily.

"Well, I'm glad you guys managed to find him. Tell Levi, Carla, and Miche I said hello, will ya?" Sebastian said, Lex scoffing.

" _Of course I'll tell 'em. You gonna tell your friends I said hello when you next see 'em?"_ Lex asked, and this time it was Sebastian's turn to scoff.

"Always do." Sebastian answered, Lex laughing.

" _Alright, fair enough. Listen, I gotta go prepare for if this potential client makes up their mind, I'll talk to you later."_ Lex said, Sebastian nodding absentmindedly to himself.

"Later." Sebastian agreed, though also using it as a farewell. He disconnected the call, tossing the phone aside as he leaned back and closed his eyes. He had some sleep to catch up on.

Lumi dropped to the ground, rolling with the impact as Is did the same away from her behind her. They stood, both of their fur heavily disheveled and messy from what could be seen with their outfits.

Perseus and Daedalus both arched an eyebrow at their appearance.

"Were we interrupting something?" Nick asked, glancing at the two mammals. They glanced at each other, then shrugged.

"I suppose it depends on what you mean by 'interrupting'." Lumi answered after a moment of consideration, Judy rolling her eyes. "Is there a reason you called us out here for these two, anyway?" The Vixen asked with a dismissive tone, gesturing to Perseus and Daedalus.

"Oi!" They both shouted, turning to each other in surprise, then facing Lumi and Is again.

"Well, they've been evaluated, so we decided they need a team-"

"No." Is said, Judy blinking in surprise at the adamant refusal.

"Oi! What have you got against us?" Perseus asked, Lumi arching an eyebrow.

"Does it really need saying?" Is asked, glancing at their outfits.

"What's wrong with out outfits?" Daedalus asked, both Judy and Nick glancing at each other.

"You guys ever hear of Shay Cormac?" Lumi asked, Daedalus groaning as he and Perseus turned to face Judy and Nick.

"Seriously, you two? You gave us outfits that are based on the Assassin Killer?" Perseus asked, Nick chuckling nervously.

"That was all Nick. Apparently he found humor in it." Judy answered, shrugging.

"Oi!" Nick exclaimed, Is frowning.

"Why does everybody keep saying that lately?" The Hare asked, looking genuinely confused. Lumi seconded the question with a grunt.

"...Because it's fun to say?" Perseus answered, shrugging to show he was just as confused as the European Hare was.

"You know, I'm pretty sure there was a reason we're here and _not_ what we were doing earlier." Lumi suddenly said, Nick blinking.

"Yes, right. You interrupted us. We evaluated Perseus and Daedalus. They're a part of Beta now, end of discussion." Lumi opened her mouth to argue, then closed it as she appeared to contemplate the idea.

"Very well. Don't expect us to go easy on them, though." She said, drawing a chuckle from Judy.

"We'd be worried if you did. You ever want to perform an evaluation of your own, the Animus is aways open." Judy remarked, Lumi and Is tilting their heads.

"What's the Animus?" They both asked, apparently unbothered by the fact they'd said it at the same time.

"Oh, right, we changed the name of the Holo Training chair. We figured the name was a little misleading. Stands for Animated Matrix User System." Lumi frowned, Is echoing the expression, at the answer. "Just a fancy term for Virtual Reality."

"Oh. Well, that makes a bit more sense, then." Is said, nodding to himself.

"We'll be sure to do that. For now, though, we're done, right?" Lumi asked. When Nick and Judy nodded, she elbowed Is lightly and gained his attention, then gestured upward. He nodded and they raised their Rope Launchers, firing and disappearing after a few seconds as they were tugged upwards.

"Well that was abrupt." Daedalus remarked.

Lumi stepped into her and Is' apartment, immediately poking her head into the side room designated for Aukusta to check on her. Seeing, smelling, and hearing nothing out of the ordinary, at least for the fact she was a hybrid, of course, she ducked back out and quietly closed the door.

She stepped into the bedroom and pulled off the bracers, setting them aside and going to work on taking her all white outfit off. While logic would dictate that an all white outfit would be horrible for sneaking around, she seemed to fair quite well with it. Then again, she didn't exactly employ stealth on her Contracts, so that was probably just luck.

Is walked into the room, removing his own outfit a few feet away from her. Lumi opened her drawer and pulled out a shirt, looking it over briefly before pulling it on, then doing the same with a pair of pants. She crawled into the bed as Is tugged on a shirt, the Hare joining her after putting on a pair of shorts. He pressed his back against her chest snugly, Lumi wrapping her arms around him from behind and letting him use her tail as a makeshift blanket. He did like to do that.

"You know, I'm honestly looking forward to performing our own little evaluation on Perseus and Daedalus." Is remarked, letting his ears flop back to rest on Lumi's neck. It was a weird thing he liked to do, but it wasn't exactly uncomfortable and Lumi liked it, so he didn't stop after the first time he did it. Lumi called it pleasant, though she called a lot of the things he did pleasant, so it was likely just to make him feel better about it.

"Agreed. Though I did like the humor in giving Templar defectors outfits based on an Assassin defector. Irony-"

"Not irony, love." Is interrupted.

"-Or whatever it is at it's finest." Lumi finished, pausing as something caught her attention. "You know, I don't think I've ever heard you say that before." She remarked, letting out a pleased hum despite the fact.

"Really? I feel like I've said them before." Is said, Lumi shrugging lightly.

"It's possible you have, I just can't remember right now. Too tired." She said as she pulled Is just a little tighter against herself, resting her chin on top of his head as she closed her eyes.

"Yeah, I was running more on will than anything." The Hare remarked, a soft snore making him snort quietly. Lumi rarely did that, and he found it incredibly cute when she did, and, surprisingly enough, it helped him sleep. Probably because it was always a soft snore, never louder than a loud whisper. Is closed his eyes with a relaxed sigh and let sleep take him.

 **And that does it for this Chapter 29 of Zootopian Assassins! This Chapter was a bit all over the place, sorry about that, but it helped the flow, I think, so I'm not sorry about that. Next Chapter will largely be Lumi and Is performing their own evaluation on Perseus and Daedalus inside the AniMUS, which I finally found a way to implement name-wise into this story. Also, hope you guys like the fact I made Perseus and Daedalus, two former Templars, have outfits based on Shay's standard Templar outfit and his Assassins Killer outfit. I quite like the humor behind it, though admit I only did that because I was running out of ideas for outfits. Judy is basically an all black with grey highlights Shao Jun, Nick is basically an all orange with yellow highlights Edward, Danny is Altair with jeans, Lumi is Evie's Aegis outfit, Is is an all brown version of Jacob's Baron Jordane outfit, and I have no idea for the rest, aside from possibly an all black version of Connor's outfit for Fantasma. I will gladly take suggestions from any of you guys, seeing as next Arc is largely following the different Teams, and will also gladly accept new designs as well that you guys create. Anyway, this I getting long enough, I will see you guys...next update. Word Count: 5,262**

 _Translations:_

 _Naomi: Vasily, can I talk to you for a moment?_

 _Vaz: Is something wrong, Naomi?_

 _Naomi: No. I just want to talk to you._

 _Vaz: Yeah, yeah, that's fine. Come on._

 _Naomi: There is something you should know, Vasily._

 _Vaz: Naomi, you aren't...pregnant?_

 _Naomi: No, no, it's just...I have to go back to Russia for a short time._

 _Vaz: But...why?_

 _Naomi: My father, he is ill. They do not expect him to last much longer and I just don't know what to do, Vasily!_

 _Vaz: I understand. I'm coming with you, then._

 _Naomi: No, Vasily, I need to do this alone._

 _Vaz: No you don't, Naomi. I promised you I'd be there for you, and I will keep my word._

 _Naomi: Of course you would say that._

 _Vaz: But of course. I am a Tiger of my word. We can leave as soon as you want. We can tell the others as much or as little as you want them to know._

 _Naomi: It wouldn't be right to keep it from them._

 _Vaz: I'm not worried about that. I'm worried about what you want to do._

 _Naomi: We can tell them when we get back._


	31. Beta Assessment and New Player

**Hey guys Price here and welcome to Chapter 30 of Zootopian Assassins! Only twenty more Chapters to go! I want to say now this story might be going on a hiatus until I get ten Chapters ahead once more, so I apologize about that, but I'd like to do that in order to give myself some breathing room to finish up Kinesis Chronicles as well in that ten week update schedule thing between Chapter 31 and Chapter 40. Yes, I know that sounds weird, but shut up I didn't know what to call it. I do hope you guys understand why I do this, assuming I do, and I do apologize in the event I decide to do it. It isn't easy putting this story on hiatus when I've been generally consistent with updates, so I hope it doesn't upset anybody. If I do put it on hiatus, it will only be until I have Chapter 40 completed, at which point I'll upload Chapter 31 the next possible Wednesday. This Chapter largely focuses on Lumi and Is evaluating Perseus and Daedalus, but that isn't all of the Chapter. Anyway, that's enough of that, I think it's time to get...onto the story!**

Lumi leaned against the wall, her expression one of boredom, as her and her Mate, Is, waited for the two mammals Judy and Nick had decided would be joining their team. She wasn't excited about the prospect, but she knew she couldn't just go against the order, nor could she pretend they didn't exist. She could, however, see if they would benefit her and Is by being on their team.

"You don't have very high hopes, do you?" Is asked from her right, Lumi shrugging.

"I don't want to be disappointed." Lumi said by way of answer, Is humming in agreement.

"I know what you mean." He remarked, shuffling closer and leaning against his Mate. Lumi lifted her arm and draped it over his shoulder, a small smile touching her muzzle.

They waited for perhaps five more minutes before the two mammals they were waiting for stepped through the door, Lumi tapping Is on the head. He looked up groggily, having fallen asleep soon after leaning against her, and she gestured to Perseus and Daedalus. He straightened up, separating from Lumi only a few inches, as the Lynx and Coywolf approached. They stopped a few feet away, crossing their arms and tilting their heads slightly.

"Sorry we took so long, _somebody_ misplaced one of their bracers." Daedalus said, glancing at Perseus. The Lynx frowned.

"Oi, watch it, dog guy." The Lynx said warningly, though it was clear he was joking.

"Yeah yeah, whatever. Anyway, we're ready when you two are." Daedalus said, Lumi glancing at Is.

"We'll see about that, Daedalus." She said, moving to walk past him.

"David." He said, Lumi pausing and looking over her shoulder.

"I'm sorry?" She said, not quite sure what he meant.

"David. That's my name." The Coywolf answered, Lumi and Is exchanging glances in surprise.

"Well, okay." Is said, glancing at Perseus in curiosity.

"My name's Percy." The Lynx said, Lumi huffing.

"Shocker." She remarked, drawing a snort from David as she turned and walked towards another door with Is right behind her. The Lynx and Coywolf glanced at each other in amusement before following, stepping into the room. Daedalus paused in the doorframe, taking a deep sniff and going wide eyed.

"Oh...my god." He said, flushing in embarrassment at having picked up the scent in the first place.

"What?" Percy asked, looking confused. He merely dipped his head towards the Vixen and Hare and made a suggestive gesture, then mouthed 'pheromones'. "Oh."

"Yeah. Not always a good thing, having a good sense of smell." David said, smiling briefly before continuing on the way with Percy beside him. Lumi and Is turned to them as they stopped by a small ring of beds with some fancy electronic equipment hooked up to it.

"This is the Animus, originally called Holo Training, which stands for Animated Matrix User Interface." The Vixen began, Perseus opening his mouth. "Yes, Percy, I am aware you heard this last night. Shut it." The Lynx blinked.

"Yes ma'am." He said.

"Good. Now, getting ready is relatively simple. You lay down, put this-" Lumi pointed to a fancy looking helmet, "-on, and then you get sent to a virtual world. It's been changed since last time I used it, or so Judy tells me, so none of us will have a layout going in." She finished, crossing her arms. "Any questions?"

"Yeah, just one. Will there be crippling pain if we get mutilated?" David asked, tilting his head.

"Do you want there to be?" Is asked, the Coywolf looking mildly disturbed by that.

"Preferably not." Daedalus answered, the Hare nodding.

"Very well." Is said as he turned and hopped up onto one of the smaller beds, likely meant for mammals his size, and Lumi climbed onto a bed that was only two inches longer than she was tall. "Get hooked up so we can get this over with."

"Yessir." Daedalus and Perseus both said at the same time, looking for beds their sizes, then climbing when they found them. They pulled the helmets down and lay back, more than curious what it would be like.

Daedalus looked around when he found himself in a small room, reaching back and pulling the Bearetta 1301 Tactical Shotgun from his back and raising it as he stalked forward. He paused, looked at the barrel, then slung it back behind him, drawing his Bearetta Px4 Storm Inox to prevent somebody from grabbing the barrel.

He stepped through the door, quickly sweeping the room on the other side, then narrowed his eyes at the random crate in the middle of the room. He holstered the sidearm and drew his shotgun, crouching down and aiming carefully as he moved forward until the barrel was pressed against the wood. He fired, blowing a hole in the crate. When nothing happened after a long moment he stood and slung the shotgun, drawing his sidearm once more.

The door a few feet away from him suddenly barged open, Daedalus raising the sidearm to fire it, then stopped himself when he saw it was just Percy. He dipped his head in greeting.

"Dae." Percy said in greeting, stepping into the room and approaching him.

"Percy." David said, turning his gaze to the other door. He raised his sidearm and approached, hearing Percy right behind him and a bit to his right. The Coywolf reached out and pulled it open, coming muzzle to barrel with an Atchisson Assault Shotgun. He leaned to the side, the gun going off and just missing him. He reached up and grabbed the still cool barrel, pulling it towards him and out of the paws of the Vixen that came with it. Daedalus spun quickly, hitting her upside the head with the stock. The Vixen stumbled to the side and into Perseus' arms, who lifted them up and back, slamming them onto the ground. He flipped, intending to land and straddle her, but Lumi was able to get her hind paws up quickly and plant them on his chest as he came down, launching him away. She rolled over and pushed herself up quickly, facing Daedalus. "Clever." The Coywolf said, Lumi shrugging slightly.

Lumi dashed forward, ducking under a punch and throwing a quick jab into Daedalus' side, the Coywolf bending slightly at the hit. Perseus came up from behind, wrapping his arms around Lumi's neck and lifting her. Daedalus charged forward, Lumi bringing her legs up and planting them on his chest. She shoved him away, throwing Perseus off balance. He fell, Lumi using the force of the impact to send her head back and into his muzzle, the distinctive _crack!_ of a breakage letting her know it had worked. Lumi brought her legs up and over her head, flipping over back and into a stand as she raised her arms.

Daedalus growled low in his throat, charging forward. Lumi waited, her stance steady, and dodged him easily, sending a hard punch into his back as he passed her, sending him to the ground. He growled and raised himself up, Lumi blocking his hits easily. She sent a jab into his throat, her other paw going behind his head and pulling it down and into her knee, sending him stumbling back as he clutched his jaw. He pulled his paw away and tested his teeth, grinning at her. Perseus stood, his legs a little shaky, and shook his head.

"That hur-" A blur flew by Perseus' head, Daedalus turning as the shape collided with the wall. Is pushed off, rolling into a stand. He clutched his razor wire garrote, clearly visible with red. Daedalus started and turned at the sound of something hitting the floor, seeing Perseus on his knees. Blood slowly seeped out of his neck, the Lynx falling forward. His head tumbled away, coming to a stop near Lumi, and Daedalus could only stare in shock.

 _'Is took him down so easily...'_ He thought, staring at the body of his friend as it slowly dissipated, disappearing completely after a moment. Daedalus growled in anger, Is smirking cockily at him as Lumi moved to stand by him.

Daedalus and Lumi stared at each other for a long moment, the Vixen's paws hovering by her sidearms. Daedalus glanced to where his Inox lay on the ground, having been knocked from his paws earlier, and as Lumi drew the two pistols he dived, grabbing it and rolling. He came up, fired off one shot, and took a bullet to the shoulder for his troubles. The firing stopped, allowing Daedalus to turn to see Lumi staring at Is in shock as he reached up and felt his chest. His paw came away bloody, and the Hare looked up her in surprise. He collapsed.

If there was one thing that many of Daedalus' former squad mates – before Judy and Nick had slaughtered them all in Bunny Burrow – could agree on, it was that the Coywolf did not waste opportunities when they were presented. He adjusted his aim and fired before Lumi could recover, the Vixen's head jerking back and her body falling to the ground. Daedalus sighed in relief, then stood and dusted off his outfit as he turned. He picked up his shotgun and paused, wondering why the session wasn't ending, and he turned to walk out of the room when he came muzzle to barrel with Lumi's Walther.

"You missed." The Vixen said coldly, Daedalus tilting his head.

"Did I?" He asked, looking down. Lumi tilted her head, looking down in confusion. She saw the barrel of the shotgun pointed at her and reactively fired, Daedalus' head jerking back. His paw twitched and the shotgun went off, the buckshot ripping through the Vixen with ease at such close range.

Daedalus sat up and ripped the helmet from his head, his chest heaving. Perseus was at his side immediately, the Lynx looking legitimately worried.

"Hey, David, you okay?" He asked, the Coywolf nodding.

"Yeah, just...that felt weird. Ugh." He answered, swallowing as he stood up from the bed. Lumi appeared from in his vision, Is at her side. "Hey, guys." Daedalus greeted, blinking a few times.

"You know, the fact you managed to hold your own in a fight against Lumi is liable for an instant pass." Is remarked, Daedalus and Perseus blinking.

"Huh?" They both asked, tilting their heads in opposite directions.

"I have my moniker for a reason, you two." Lumi said by way of answer, a small grin on her muzzle. Perseus and Daedalus arched their eyebrows.

"You have a moniker?" Percy asked, Lumi's prideful grin deflating at the question.

"Uh, _yeah_. They call me the One Fox Army for a reason." Lumi said, looking and sounding surprised.

"Lumi, it's been almost three years since we were Templars. You weren't known amongst the Templars until _after_ we defected." David pointed out, Lumi opening her mouth, then closing it as the reminder sunk in.

"Oh...right." She said, frowning in disappointment.

"Wait, it's been almost three years?" Percy asked, apparently surprised by that.

"Yeah, did you not realize that?" David asked, Percy keeping his mouth closed. "Oh my god, you didn't even realize. How do you not realize two years have passed?"

"Shut up, I was enjoying the peaceful life. Time flies and all that." Percy defended, crossing his arm.

"Right." David said, rolling his eyes as he turned back to Lumi and Is. "You were saying something about the results of this?" He inquired, gesturing to the machines.

"Yes, we were. The fact you held your owns against Lumi is an instant pass. That, combined with the fact it was technically a draw, well...welcome to Beta." Is said, a small, but genuine, smile touching his muzzle for a moment.

"You won't be disappointed." Percy promised, Lumi huffing.

"I would hope not. I would hate for something to happen to me or Is, especially with Aukusta." Lumi said, Percy and Daedalus nodding understandingly.

"She's one, now, right?" Percy asked, more trying to make idle conversation since it was well known than anything.

"That's right." Lumi answered, a small amount of happiness filling her voice. "I am way too excited for her to start school."

"Lumi, that's still four years away. At the rate we're going, we may be past this whole thing before then." Is said, Lumi slapping him on the shoulder lightly.

"Shut up." She said, though it was obvious she was being playful and didn't actually mean it.

"Make me." Is said, grinning at her. Lumi grinned back.

"Oh, but where's the fun in keeping you quiet? I happen to like the noises you make." She said, Percy coughing awkwardly. She looked up. "Oh, right. Sorry about that. Forgot you were here." She apologized.

"Clearly." Daedalus remarked, earning a punch to the arm from Percy. "Ow! Did you just...?" The Coywolf tried to move his arm, though it refused to. "Okay, yeah, that's a dead arm." Percy looked apologetic at that.

"Did not mean to do that." He said, Daedalus huffing.

"Hm, sure you didn't." He said, Lumi looking between them.

"Are you guys sure you aren't Mates?" She asked, Percy stiffening at the question, his eyes wide, but unable to answer.

"Nah, we're just friends. We bicker like this because we've known each other since before we came here, back in oh-two." Is looked curious at that, tilting his head.

"What do you mean, 'when we came here'?" He asked, Percy managing to unfreeze at the question.

"Oh, we're from across the Atlantic. Britain." The Lynx answered, both Is and Lumi blinking.

"But...you don't sound like it." Lumi remarked, Daedalus arching an eyebrow.

"What's the point in speaking in my accent iffen nobody will understand me?" The Coywolf asked, his voice touching his natural accent briefly. Lumi blinked.

"Huh." She said, nodding lightly.

"It gets better." Percy said, chuckling lightly.

"I was sorry to hear Fantasma popped his clogs." Daedalus said, accent more pronounced. Lumi didn't need to hear a translation of that, the tone and preceding words letting her know he meant he was sorry to hear about Fantasma dying.

"Your accent sounds a bit different than I'd imagined." Is said, Daedalus arching an eyebrow.

"Yorkshire." The Coywolf said, Is letting out a hum of acknowledgement. "That's a threp in't steans, aye up, put wood inth 'ole, 'ear all, see all, say nowt. Eat all, sup all, pay nowt. And if ever thou does owt fer owt – allus do it fer thissen." He said, just speaking random phrases to better show off the accent. Is and Lumi looked beyond confused, blinking rapidly and muzzles parted as they tried to understand what he said.

"I...um... _what!?_ " Lumi shouted, Percy and Daedalus laughing.

"Exactly the reason I don't use it." Daedalus said with a smile, Lumi nodding hesitantly before turning her gaze to Percy.

"Is that how everybody where you two are from talks?" She asked, her eyes wide in shock.

"You get used to it when you grow up around it." Percy said, shrugging casually.

"Dear god, remind me to never visit Yorkshire." Lumi muttered.

"Oi! Least we ain't got Scottish accents. You'd never understand us then." Daedalus said, doing an impressive impression of said accent.

"I hate you." Lumi said, pointing at him. "Please, just stick with the Animalian accent. It'll be better for all of us." She said, Perseus and Daedalus laughing.

"Aye. Will do." David said, chuckling as he turned and began to leave. "It was fun, tonight. See you two later." He said, Percy dipping his head in farewell as he turned and followed Daedalus out. Lumi and Is stared after them, both sighing and hanging their heads.

"I swear to god if they start using those accents to mess with us, I'm gonna kill 'em." Lumi said, Is rolling his eyes.

"No you won't." He said.

"Yes I will. And I will be sure to mess them up so they can't be identified, traced, what have you. I already hate their accents. You can't understand a word they're saying." Lumi said, Is blinking.

"...You're completely serious, aren't you?" He asked after a moment, Lumi narrowing her eyes in a 'are you serious' look.

"Yes. I'm completely serious." She answered, Is nodding after a moment.

"Alrighty then." The Hare said, nodding to himself.

"...Let's go home." Lumi said after a moment, Is nodding.

"Yeah." He agreed.

Nick was alone today, Judy _finally_ taking a day off. In the end, Bogo had been forced to call her parents in order to make her take a day off to rest, since she'd been working so hard lately. He was both relieved she had listened and terrified about what might happen if she continued to overwork herself.

Bogo stepped into the Bullpen, prompting the usual fanfare to begin. It died out almost immediately when another mammal followed him in, this one clad in all black armor and a black ballistic mask. He carried two Heckler and Koch HK45s, one on each side, and, surprisingly, what looked like an empty pair of knife sheathes.

"So much for a welcoming committee." The mystery mammal said, Bogo rolling his eyes visibly at the remark.

"Apologies, they must not be feeling up to it." Bogo said back, silence falling for a moment at Bogo snarking.

"Hm, so you _do_ have a sense of humor. Interesting." The mystery mammal remarked, a short snicker escaping one of the officers. Bogo narrowed his eyes.

"Quite." Bogo muttered, sighing. "Officers, I have some bad news." He began, the mammal turning his head towards the Cape Buffalo with as much sass as a emotionless mask could muster. It was a surprising amount.

"I'm glad you think so highly of me." He snarked, Bogo glancing at him briefly.

"We have an Operator being assigned to the latest case, the one involving the possible gang war." Bogo began, ignoring the comment.

"But, sir, aren't we-" the Operator perked up visibly, obviously curious, and Wolford immediately closed his mouth. "Never mind."

"No, go on. I want to hear your question." The Operator said, approaching the table with a tilted head. He jumped up and gripped the edge of the table, swinging up and landing easily on top of the table. He spun to face Wolford leaning heavily on one leg as he tilted his head, resulting in his hip jutting out. Not far, but noticeable.

"I...It wasn't anything important. Don't worry about it." Wolford said, the Operator sighing. He crouched down in front of the Wolf, the tip of the mask barely an inch from Wolford's muzzle.

"Listen to me, James, I don't really _care_ if you think it isn't important. To me, it's just as important as the fact your son was born on July third, nineteen ninety-five, at approximately eight fifteen in the morning in room two-two-one, handled by Doctor Clarice Stagson of Zootopia General Hospital." Wolford couldn't even blink as the Operator spoke, but the Operator wasn't done. "Or how about the fact that your wife was killed in a fatal car accident only last year and was pronounced dead July first, twenty seventeen, at around nine twenty in the afternoon." Fangmeyer stood at that, her eyes blazing in anger, but the Operator only gave her an aside glance. "That's how important it is to me, James, and you'd be wise to remember that." The Operator said smugly, which, apparently, was too much for Fangmeyer. The Operator was flung across the room, impacting the wall with an audible _thud!_ that made even Bogo wince.

"James is my partner and my friend, and I will not let some self entitled prat talk to him like that. You'd be wise to remember that." She said warningly, shaking her paw lightly and sitting back down. Bogo didn't say anything, only watching, despite wanting to intervene.

The Operator rolled over, hanging their head and shaking it. He reached up and pulled the mask off, rubbing his forehead as he stood and groaned.

"...Did you seriously just pull an ironic echo on me?" He asked, somebody coughing with the word 'priorities' clearly heard by everybody. That was the only sound uttered as the mammal stood and revealed they were a Red Fox Todd. A rather handsome one, too. "What?" He asked, looking around in confusion.

"They didn't know your species, Whitney, that's what." Bogo answered, the Operator arching an eyebrow at the larger mammal.

"Okay...?" He said, apparently not quite seeing how that fit. "They already have one of us in their midst – a rather fine one, too – so I'm not sure why they'd be surprised." He added, glancing at Nick briefly. The Todd flushed awkwardly, not expecting the words.

"Whitney, if you could keep your eyes off my officers, that would be appreciated." Bogo said, the Todd frowning.

"You never get onto Harkness for flirting." He pouted, the Jackal perking up at his name.

"Sorry, did you want something?" He asked, looking up in curiosity.

"No, go back to sleep." The Operator said dismissively, everybody turning to look at the Jackal.

"Uh...I don't know what you mean..." He said, chuckling nervously. Bogo sighed.

"Alright, enough. Operator Lance Whitney, you are hereby assigned to the ongoing investigation involving this gang war." Bogo said, the Operator shrugging.

"About time. Taken you guys three years since it started and not even a single lead." He muttered as he pulled the mask back on, Bogo's hooves tightening their grip on the podium noticeably, made most clear by the creaking. He said nothing, though, and the Operator walked down the narrow walkway and out of the main entrance doors with a wave of farewell.

"Well...he seems like an interesting character." Somebody said after a moment.

"Quite." Bogo muttered, picking up a stack of papers he had carried in. "Alright, assignments!" The rest of the morning went along smoothly, though Nick was a bit unnerved by how the Operator disappeared after the Bullpen.

Nick was in the middle of a phone call with Judy when somebody knocked on the door to his cubicle, the Todd pausing in surprise.

" _Nick? You there?"_ Judy asked, Nick placing his paw over the phone briefly.

"Come in." He said loudly, putting the phone back to his ear. "Yeah, sorry Jude, somebody knocked at the cubicle. You need anything when I get off?" He asked as the door opened behind him, the Todd not even bothering to look behind him.

" _Nah, we're stocked pretty well."_ Judy answered, the sound of a door opening on the other end reaching Nick. _"Wait, no, we might need some ice cream. The new season of that show comes on tonight."_

"Alright, ice cream it is. Blueberry?" Nick said, Judy scoffing.

" _Of_ course _it's blueberry."_ She answered, Nick chuckling.

"Alright. I'll see you in a bit, then." He said, Judy echoing him as he hung up. He turned. "Alright, what do yo-" he stopped, blinking in surprise when he found the Operator standing there.

"Continue." He said, rolling his paw in a 'carry on' gesture.

"What do you want?" Nick asked hesitantly, the Operator shrugging.

"Nothing, I just felt like coming by." He answered, Nick arching an eyebrow. "What? Is it so strange that I'd want to come and meet one of the most famous Foxes in Zootopia?" He asked, Nick shrugging.

"A little. I mean, we hardly know each other." Nick said, the Operator catching that he'd said 'we hardly' and not 'we don't', if his ears perking was any indication.

"So you admit it." He said, Nick shrugging.

"Well, it's been a long time. You've changed. I wouldn't have realized it if Bogo hadn't said your entire name." Nick answered, the Operator shrugging. He reached up and pulled the mask off, dropping it carelessly to the floor as he hopped up onto Nick's desk, sitting on it with one leg draped over the other.

"So, how've you been, Nicky?" He asked, Nick grimacing slightly at the nickname.

"Don't, Lance. Please." He said, the Operator blinking.

"Oh, that's right. I forgot you and Hopps..." The male trailed off, unable to finish the sentence.

"Hey, don't be like that, please. We tried our best. Nobody can say we didn't." Nick said comfortingly, the other Todd smiling briefly.

"Yeah, I suppose so. It was fun, though, wasn't it?" He asked, smiling warmly at the memories.

"Yeah, it was fun." Nick agreed, smiling briefly before clearing his throat and leaning his head on a paw, elbow holding his arm up. "So, what made you want to be an Operator?" He asked, his tone genuinely curious.

"Well I figured if you of all mammals could be a cop, I could be one too. Aced the physical portion, or at least the takedowns and limited combat training part, as well as the interrogation training...okay, I did more than ace that last bit. Right before graduation I got approached by the Operator Commander, Akimbo, and he offered me a position with the Operators. How could I refuse an offer to be one of the best the ZPD had to offer?" The Todd said, Nick shrugging lightly.

"I assume you've got a callsign, then?" Nick inquired after a few seconds of thought, the other Fox nodding.

"Yeah, they call me Personnel. Believe it or not I'm the best in the whole group when it comes to close quarters combat." Nick could only arch an eyebrow at that, finding it believable.

"I can see that. You always did like your knives and close quarters combat." He said, the Operator shrugging.

"Well, I've always been talented with knives and close quarters combat. Feels right that I'd be given a callsign and a loadout based on my specialty." He said, and he was right. The outfit he wore looked rather light, but it also had padding over vital areas like the chest, back, and on certain parts of his extremities to provide protection without harming his agility and range of motion, and most of the actual armor was hard plastic that mainly went on top of his forearms and his shins.

"Speaking of knives, I couldn't help but notice you have two knife sheaths on your sides." Nick said, the Operator nodding.

"Yep. One for a combat knife and one for a tanto. Good knives, really, and both can be used in combat if necessary, though the combat model is, obviously, better. Tanto is more comfortable to grip, though." He said, shrugging slightly. He tilted his head, suddenly gaining a curious look. He remained that way for a long moment, then hopped off the desk and grabbed his mask. "Gotta go, Range needs a replacement for their guard." He said, Nick blinking in confusion.

"Uh, okay. See you later then, Lance." He said, the Todd dipping his head in farewell before rushing out the door. A moment later Wolford stuck his head in.

"Why was the Operator in your office?" He asked, Nick hesitating to answer.

"I don't know, he just started making conversation. Seemed rude not to respond." Nick answered after a few seconds of thought. "The fact he could easily kill me definitely did _not_ play into my decision to not ignore him." Wolford snickered at that, Nick smiling briefly.

"You called him by his name, though. Why?" Nick hesitated even longer at that, Wolford arching an eyebrow.

"I don't know. Wanted to see if it got a rise out of him, I guess." Nick finally answered, Wolford nodding.

"Yeah, that makes sense. It is you, after all." Nick barked in pretend indignation at that, throwing his arms out in a 'come on, man' type of way.

"Oh come on, really?" Nick exclaimed, Wolford chuckling.

"Hey, you _do_ have a habit of annoying mammals. I was just pointing out the obvious." Wolford defended, both mammals holding their poses for a few seconds, then relaxing as they laughed.

"Yeah yeah, alright. Hey, see ya tomorrow, right?" Nick said, Wolford nodding.

"You should, unless a friend of mine needs help with something. Tell Judy I said hi, would you?" Wolford said, Nick nodding.

"Will do. Tell Jake I said hi." Nick answered, the Wolf nodding as he stepped out. Nick waited for a moment, then logged out of the computer on his desk and hopped from the chair, walking out of the cubicle and closing the door behind him. He didn't lock it, though, since night shift would be coming in soon. He stopped to think about how well everything had been going lately for the Brotherhood.

Lance, the Operator, could prove to be an issue, however. And Nick didn't know if he could deal with him if he did.

 **And that does it for Chapter 30 of Zootopian Assassins! I'm going to be going on a bit of a hiatus until I get Chapter 40 done, unless I somehow manage to get ten Chapters done before next Wednesday from now, which is Friday. I hate to do this to this story, but I don't have a choice until I get the motivation to write for it again. I will** ** _try_** **to write for this as much as possible, but I make no promises. And yes, I did just bring the Operators into this story's canon, as well as Lance Whitney from my Nick and I Verse, and yes, Nick and Lance were in a relationship in the past. No, there won't be a love triangle, mainly because Lance isn't the type of Character to do that no matter how he feels. Anyway, this is getting long enough, I will see you guys...next update. Word Count: 5,271**


	32. Loss

**Hey guys Price here and welcome to Chapter 31 of Zootopian Assassins! I know I said either last Chapter or Chapter 29 this will mainly follow the Teams, but I am changing the outline of this Arc's story. It will still follow a few of the Teams, but not to the extent I intended since I need to wrap up some of the plot on the police investigation, as well as flesh out a few of the variables introduced last Chapter, since the main plot needs to be done before the final Chapter and I don't want to stuff it into the last two or three Chapters. The plot isn't going to be** ** _completely_** **complete, but it will largely be out of the way for fun Assassin's Creed stuff until the end. This Chapter largely follows Lumi and Is in their efforts to help Lumi control her Reversion state better. Savage Lumi and Sven will make an appearance in one of the two Contracts this Arc or the last one before the final Chapter, of that I promise you. Anyway, that's enough of me blabbering and the like, I think it's time to get...onto the story!**

Is tilted his head as he thought about the possible predicament Lumi had currently found herself stuck in with her Reversion ability, partially worried she'd trigger it on accident and kill a civilian, partially worried she'd get herself killed by Reverting, or, most of all, that she would find it was impossible to control it. He hoped against all odds that the last option would never happen, even if it was the most desirable outcome compared to the other possibilities.

He had faith, however. If he could bring Sven under control enough to take control back, then he knew Lumi would find a way to succeed.

"Hey, Is, what are you thinking about?" A familiar voice asked from behind him.

 _'Speak of the devil and he shall appear. Or she, in this case.'_ Is thought humorously, then wincing at the thought. It was a scarily accurate description of Lumi, especially when Reverted, but not something he liked to think about.

"Nothing much, just thinking about whatever comes to me." He answered, Lumi sighing.

"You seen Jacob lately?" She asked, moving to sit beside him.

"No, Judy and Nick told me he's skipped town to do something for some friends of his, which they more or less had to pry from him. He should be back in about a month, they said." The Hare answered, Lumi sighing again. After a long moment, she turned to him.

"So...what do you want to do?" She asked, Is detecting the undertone she asked with. It wasn't that hard when she put no work into being indirect.

"Another time, maybe. Right now, I think we need to work on your ability to control yourself during a Reversion." Lumi whined at the answer, clearly not wanting to hear it, and Is shook his head. "Lumi, this is important. It could be the difference between something setting you off in public, getting yourself killed, or decimating another group of Templars during a Contract." Is said, Lumi growling lightly.

"I don't decimate. I annihilate." She said, Is arching an eyebrow.

"Is there a difference?" he asked, Lumi rolling her eyes.

"Weren't you an assassin? You should know this." Lumi said, Is glaring at her. "To decimate would mean I only destroyed one tenth of them. I kill them all, therefore I annihilate."

"Alright then, why don't we practice your ability to _annihilate_ them, while also practicing your ability to control yourself when you Revert?" Is asked, Lumi rolling her eyes.

"Fine. Should we call Percy and David, have them watch Aukusta?" She asked, Is remaining silent in thought.

"I think I'd prefer it if Amanda watched her, if she'd be willing." He answered after a moment, Lumi shrugging.

"Alright, I'll call her and ask. We'll have to go with Percy and David if she can't, though." She said as she stood, Is grumbling something she didn't catch, but sounded awfully something like 'I hope she can'. "You know, you should trust them a bit more." She remarked as she picked her phone up off the kitchen counter, opening the Contacts and scrolling down.

"I do trust them, I'll have you know." Is said defensively, Lumi looking at him over her shoulder with an arched eyebrow. "Just not with my daughter." Lumi chuckled at that, shaking her head as she found the right one.

" _Lumi?"_ Amanda's voice asked from over the phone, Lumi smiling briefly.

"Hey, Amanda. Listen, if you're not too busy I was wondering if you would be willing to watch our daughter for me and Is. We're going out for a while, and it isn't exactly somewhere we can take her." Lumi said, silence reigning for a long moment.

" _Yeah, I can do that. Zaqueu will have to come, though, but I wouldn't worry. He mostly keeps to himself lately, so there shouldn't be any issues."_ Amanda said, Lumi wincing at the last bit.

"That's fine. Aukusta may not be old enough to play or speak yet, or at least if she is she hasn't yet, but meeting a mammal like her should do her a bit of good." Lumi said, turning and leaning against the counter in time to see Is stick his head up and over the couch in curiosity.

" _Same for Zaqueu. We'll be there soon."_ Amanda said.

"Alright. Thank you, Amanda." Lumi said, moving to hang up when a thought occurred to her. "Oh, just real quick, but you should know. Aukusta doesn't like to be woken up forcibly. If she wakes up, let her get used to your smell before you go anywhere near her. Is found out the hard way what happened when you don't. Let's just say...Aukusta has deceptively strong legs, for her age and size." Lumi added, Is grunting in agreement as a paw subconsciously came up and rubbed his head.

" _You know, I wish I could have been there. That sounds like it was hilarious."_ Amanda remarked, Lumi chuckling.

"It was pretty funny." Lumi admitted, Is rolling his eyes as he turned and sat back down. "So, I'll see you in a few minutes, correct?"

" _No more than thirty, hopefully, but I might need directions when we get there. Don't really know my way around Tundra Town."_ Amanda answered, Lumi glancing at the clock.

"Alright. Call me when you get here, either me or Is will pick up and give you directions." Lumi said, Is sticking his head back up at his name.

" _Alright, see you in a few. Bye."_ Amanda said, Lumi echoing her and hanging up.

"Were you guys talking about the time Aukusta kicked me in the head?" Is asked, Lumi snorting in amusement. "Oh come on, it hurt!"

"I know! That's what makes it funny! You would never expect something like that to hurt from something her size, but it did hurt and that's hilarious." Lumi said, Is rolling his eyes.

"Yeah, yeah." Is muttered, looking annoyed.

About twenty eight minutes later, the phone rang and Is stood to pick it up, letting Lumi know it was Amanda. He gave the Feline directions, then sat back down as they waited for them to arrive. They didn't have to wait long, as not even five minutes later there was knocking at the door. Lumi stood and approached the door, pulling it open.

"Hey, Lumi!" Amanda said, Lumi smiling.

"Hey, Amanda." She said, the larger Feline looking behind her.

"Zaqueu, stop hiding. I told you they were friends." She said softly, the smaller, at least compared to Amanda, Feline poking his head out from behind her.

"Hey, Zaqueu. I'm Lumi." Lumi said, the feline nodding in response before hiding again. "Hm, funny, I don't seem to remember you being so shy last time." That got him to stick his head out again, surprise etched into his expression.

"We've met?" He asked quietly, Lumi chuckling.

"Nah, I'm just playing. I did know Fantasma, though." Lumi said, Zaqueu frowning.

"Really?" He asked, Lumi nodding as she stepped back and spread her arms slightly in invitation. Amanda smiled thankfully and stepped inside, looking around curiously.

"Yeah, though I can't really say I knew him all that well. We talked a few times, things like that. He seemed like a nice mammal, though. Wish I had gotten to know him better." Lumi said, Amanda glancing towards the hallways.

"Where's Is?" She asked, the Hare sticking his head up from the couch at his name.

"Hey." He said, waving.

"Hey, Is. Long time no see." Amanda said, Zaqueu tilting his head. He looked between Lumi and the Hare, his expression curious.

"Um...I apologize if this is rude, but are you two together?" The young Feline asked, Is laughing at the question.

"Yes, we are. Two years now." Is answered, smiling. "Though we've known each other for a lot longer than that." He added, Zaqueu nodding.

"But...you're a Fox and a Rabbit." He said, though it was obvious he only meant to point it out and didn't hold any contempt for the thought.

"Arctic Fox and European Hare, actually, but close." He said, Lumi glancing at him with a playful warning look.

"Isn't it hard, though? I mean, not to seem rude, but I'm sure it isn't easy." The young Feline said, Amanda standing still and watching, though it was obvious she was nervous he might say the wrong thing. Lumi simply smiled, though, finding the kit's curiosity endearing. "My father and mother's species are related, and mammals still gave them looks." He added, all three adult mammals freezing in surprise at the words. Lumi recovered first, crouching down in front of Zaqueu.

"You're right, it can be hard. But you know what? If mammals won't give us a chance to understand we really love each other, then they aren't worth our time to explain ourselves. Never feel like you have to explain why you love somebody, Zaqueu, because you don't. Love isn't something that you control, and when you try mammals only end up getting hurt in the long run. Trust me, I've been there, and it isn't fun." Lumi said, the Feline blinking. He looked between her and Is, then nodded.

"Alright. Thank you for answering my questions without being angry." He said shyly, Lumi chuckling.

"You were just being curious, and I am seeing no problem in that." Lumi said, smiling warmly. Zaqueu seemed to notice something and hesitated, making Lumi tilt her head. "Do not be afraid to speak your mind to me, Zaqueu, I will not bite." The feline hesitated a moment longer, then nodded thankfully.

"Your phrasing, it is...funny." He said, clearly unable to find a better word to express what he meant. Amanda's eyes widened, opening her mouth to say something, likely to reprimand the kit. Is held up a paw that went unnoticed by Zaqueu, Amanda closing her muzzle with a small degree of difficulty.

"I am from Finland, across the Atlantic. I've been trying to speak more normally for here, but it pokes through from time to time." Lumi explained, smile never leaving her muzzle. She quite liked this kit, all curiosity and no malice.

"You shouldn't hide who you are because of what others think." Zaqueu remarked, Lumi blinking in surprise at the words and smile dropping from her shock. It returned quickly, however.

"Perhaps, but it makes things easier for everyone involved. I still indulge myself in a bit of my normal speaking habits from back when I first learned Common, both just because and to speak more comfortably. I also indulge in a bit of Finnish from time to time." Lumi said, paw moving to rub the top of the Feline's head in an affectionate manner, then stopped when she realized he may not want to be touched by what was essentially a perfect stranger he'd only just met. She lowered her paw with an awkward smile. There was a long moment of silence before Zaqueu spoke again.

"My mother mentioned you had a daughter. I...I was wondering how that would work." He said nervously, Lumi glancing towards Amanda in alarm, not knowing whether he meant the biological aspect, physical appearance aspect, or the more private aspects of Aukusta existing.

"Um...could you be a bit more specific, please?" Lumi asked nervously, Zaqueu tilting his head.

"How old is she?" He asked, apparently deciding to forego the topic.

"Well, she'll be two this summer, I'm sorry to say, but she _does_ like that Power Rangers thing." Lumi said, Zaqueu's muzzle scrunching in disgust.

"The new shows are so stupid, though." He said, Lumi shrugging.

"She is being a kit, indulge her." She said with a chuckle, looking back up at Amanda. "I can't thank you enough for this, really." Amanda smiled in response.

"It's the least I can do for a friend. Go on, have your fun." She said, Lumi nodding in thanks.

"I'll see you later, then." She said to Zaqueu, the young Feline nodding. She smiled, then stepped past him and stopped by Amanda, leaning in to whisper. "There's a Glock Twenty Three on the underside of the coffee table in front of the couch, in case you need it. Unloaded, but magazine is two inches to the left." She whispered, Amanda nodding thankfully.

"Hopefully I won't need it." She whispered back, Lumi nodding in agreement before stepping past her. Is followed, having been saying something to Zaqueu.

Lumi and Is approached the warehouse casually, looking for all the world like two mammals enjoying a conversation. As Lumi pulled the door open and stepped inside, however, she paused.

"Something's wrong." She said quietly, narrowing her eyes in thought. A faint whistling sound from above made her dodge to the side, a shape landing right where she'd been only a second prior. The mammal immediately launched at her, Lumi blocking the swipe of a knife easily and gripping the mammal's wrist. She sidestepped and delivered a harsh kick to the back of their knee, sending them down and violently wrenching the knife from their paw, dislocating two of the mystery mammal's digits in the process, and raised it above her to bring it down when a hole appeared in the wall next to her. Lumi felt the wind from a small object pass in front of her eyes, making her lock up reflexively in both fear and shock. The mammal used the distraction against her, bringing an elbow back and into her side. Lumi staggered, the impact making her grunt, and the mammal pressed their advantage. They reached up and gripped her wrist attached to the paw holding the knife, keeping her from bringing it down, and reached around. They grabbed her leg and pulled as hard as they could, pulling Lumi off balance and pushing back. Lumi fell, losing her grip on the knife and letting it bounce away, then came up into a ready position. The mammal stood slowly, Lumi's eyes widening as she caught the white ZPD letters on their chest. "Officer! Oh god, I'm sorry, I didn't realize!" She exclaimed, Is still standing in the door. He hesitantly approached Lumi, standing beside her and staring straight at the mystery mammal, who sighed in defeat.

"You're good, you know that?" They asked, the voice decidedly male.

"I've had a bit of training." She said, shrugging as she crossed her arms.

"Clearly." The mammal said, reaching up and pulling the hood on their head back. Lumi and Is both blinked when Fox ears sprung up, Lumi only knowing of one Fox in the ZPD, and he did not dress nor sound like this mammal.

"Um...I'm confused." Is remarked, the Fox turning their head to him.

"I can't tell you who I am, you're both civilians. You aren't authorized nor supposed to know about my existence. The only reason you do is because I thought you were part of the gang that uses this warehouse as a base of operations." The Fox said, Lumi and Is both blinking.

"Gang? What gang?" Lumi asked, her confusion seemingly genuine.

"Not authorized to tell you about that, except what you may already know." The Fox answered, rolling his shoulders. "This building is strictly off limits until the ZPD can get inside and acquire the information we need to take down said gang, however, so you need to leave." He added, Lumi nodding hesitantly.

"Alright. Thanks for the warning or whatever, I suppose." Lumi said, turning and walking out of the warehouse with Is behind her.

Lance watched the Vixen and Hare leave, waiting for a long moment before his earpiece squawked.

" _Civilians are gone, Personnel. Con-"_ The voice cut out with a sickening crunching and tearing sound, Lance panicking briefly before composing himself. He still ran over and picked up the knife, coming up in a spin as he sheathed it and dashed out the door. He raced across the road and ignored the door, jumping through a window, knowing his outfit would protect him from the shards. It _was_ designed to be ballistic and blade resistant, so he would hope it would protect him. Otherwise, he'd have to have a word or two with the manufacturer.

He ran up the stairs quickly but quietly and gripped the wooden safety rail at the top to help turn himself. The ball on the railing broke, however, and he stumbled into the wall. Recovering quickly, he dashed down the hall and continued climbing the stairs until he reached the roof, bursting through the door. He stumbled to a stop at the sight that greeted him, eyes wide in horror and even his abnormally strong stomach fighting to keep its contents inside it.

"Oh, god, Laura." He whispered, voice breaking as the only movement he seemed able to do was drop to his knees. He reached up and tore the ballistic mask off, tossing it away with a scream of rage and anguish. "This was her last! Mission! She was going to have a kit!" He screamed, though he spoke to nobody and nobody heard him. His paws clenched as tears fell freely, letting out another scream of rage as he stood and paced with shaking legs and paws clenched, tugging at fur on his head. He stopped after a long moment, his mind threatening to overload from the sudden surge in emotions and all the fun that came with that. He fell onto his rear next to Range's mangled upper body, wondering what or who could have done something so quickly. He reached out and grabbed her uniform, pulling her into his arms as he held her against his chest, sobbing into the dead Vixen's shoulder, wondering just what he had done to warrant this twist of fate.

He couldn't be sure how long he sat there, cradling the dead Vixen, until the sound of pawsteps made him draw his sidearm and point it at the mammal he found a few feet away, ready to pull the trigger. The mammal held up their paws in a placating gesture.

"Relax, officer. I'm not here to harm you, only to make you an offer." The mammal, clearly female, said.

"I'm not interested." Lance said, holstering the sidearm after a full ten seconds of hesitation, intending to ignore the mammal.

"What if I told you if could help you get revenge on the mammal who killed her?" The female asked, Lance stiffening at the question. He raised his gaze back to the mammal, his gaze hot and burning.

"Elaborate. Now." He growled, the female mammal nodding.

"I represent a...faction. It's a very important faction, really, but it doesn't require you to leave your current job unless you choose. If you help us, we can get you the payback you want for the murder of..." The female trailed off, Lance hesitating.

"Laura. Laura Stone. She was my mate." He said, the female dipping her head in thanks, but Lance wasn't done. "If I help you, and you or anybody else in this faction of yours finds her killer, I want you to catch them. I want you to break them until they can't even form a coherent _thought_ , let alone a sentence. And then I want a turn to bring them back and break them again before they get to die." He said, the female noticeably startled by the request. Whether it was the darkness of the request, the seriousness in which he said it in, or some other factor, Lance couldn't be sure. He didn't really care, though, as long as he got his chance.

"Very well." She said after a few seconds, extending her arm. "Give me your paw." Lance complied and extended his paw towards her, the female making no motion to make him stand. "Do you wish to join our brotherhood, and to uphold our mission, even if this shall cost your your life? If so, please say 'aye'."

"Aye." Lance said without hesitation, the mammal reaching into their pocket. They pulled a necklace out, placing it into his paw.

"Welcome to the Templars." The female released his paw and backed away, bowing respectively before turning and walking away. Lance watched her until she disappeared from sight, then looked into his paw at the necklace. It was normal looking, with a simple black string, but it had a red cross as an ornament instead of the normal necklace decorations. Lance went back to holding Laura to his chest tightly, grieving both for her and their unborn kit, who now never would be.

Lumi froze in surprise as a scream of rage and loss ripped through the air, turning back the way her and Is had been coming from with her eyes wide.

"What was that?" Is asked, his voice holding a trace of fear.

"The cop. Something's happened." Lumi answered, the Hare beside her immediately pulling his phone out and dialing nine one one. As he began to describe the situation, Lumi contemplated going back. The cop had been a Fox, so she felt some kind of responsibility to look out for him, especially if something _had_ just happened. It was something she'd been taught by her father.

"Alright, thank you, bye." Is said into his phone, pocketing it and turning back to Lumi. "The police and an ambulance should be here within a few. You think we should go check it out?" He said, Lumi hesitating.

"I'd like to, but it wouldn't do us any good to get caught snooping at what may be a crime scene." Lumi answered, clearly conflicted. "But at the same time, he may be in trouble and we could save his life." She added, biting her lip uncertainly. Is lightly smacked her on the arm, Lumi stopping. She'd accidentally bit through her lip doing it once, so it was something she wanted to stop doing. She dipped her head in thanks to Is, who nodded.

They didn't have to wait long, however, the sound of sirens reaching them after only a minute. Is seemed impressed.

"Wow, they've gotten quicker." He remarked, drawing a snort of amusement from his Mate. Lumi turned to see a police cruiser turn onto the street, followed closely by an ambulance, and she waved her paw. The cruiser stopped and the doors opened, Nick and Judy jumping out. Lumi briefly reflected on the chances of that, thinking it funny they always seemed to be the ones interacting with her and her Mate.

"Lumi, Is, what happened? Is something wrong?" Judy asked, Is glancing at Lumi.

"There was another cop, a Fox just like Nick, at the hideout. He didn't get inside the Brotherhood's area, just right inside the entrance, and we had a bit of a scuffle due to a misunderstanding. He just screamed, so I think something is wrong." Lumi said, Nick's eyes widening.

"Oh god, Lance." He whispered, turning to Judy quickly. "I got this, you follow at a distance! If something's happened, he'll need to see somebody he knows!" He said, turning and running down the road towards the warehouse, leaving Judy, Lumi, and Is confused.

"He knows the cop?" Lumi asked, tilting her head as she turned to look at Judy.

"There isn't another Fox cop, though. I mean, we got an Operator not too long ago, but..." Judy trailed off, her eyes widening much like Nick's had. "Oh no." She raced after Nick, leaving the Vixen and Buck even more confused than they were before.

"Um...okay." Is remarked, frowning.

"We should probably just go home before this day gets any weirder." Lumi said, Is whining.

"Please don't jinx us, Lumi." He said, the Vixen rolling her eyes. They both chuckled as they turned and walked away, wondering what had happened but knowing it wasn't their right to intrude if it was bad.

Nick came to a stop at the door to the warehouse, inhaling to see if he could pick up Lance's scent. He turned around, tilting his head when he discovered it going across the street. He followed it, clambering through the broken window and walking up the stairs. Judy caught up to him quickly, though he stopped her at the second floor.

"Stay here. If something's wrong and I need you, I'll call. Otherwise, don't go up there." He said assertively, Judy nodding.

"Alright. I'll give you ten minutes to alert me, though, and after that I'm coming up there no matter what." She said, Nick sighing.

"Very well. Probably can't stop you anyway." He said, Judy merely smirking in response. That was an obvious no. Nick dipped his head, then turned and continued following the scent of the slightly younger Todd.

When he reached the roof, he blinked at the smell of blood that assaulted his sense of smell, the scent almost overwhelming him from the intensity of it. With a shudder he stepped through the door and almost threw up immediately at the sigh that greeted him.

There was blood everywhere, all over the roof in a disturbingly wide spread around the body. Lance sat in the middle of it, holding... _something_ to his chest and frame shuddering and occasionally twitching as if he was crying. Nick hesitantly approached, ignoring the Kivaari .338 Lapua caliber rifle resting on the edge of the building as he did so. Lance lifted his head suddenly, turning it towards Nick quickly as his body tensed. He relaxed when he saw Nick, turning back and resting his head on what looked like a head turned backwards.

"She was pregnant, you know." Lance said, Nick assuming he meant the body he held.

"I'm sorry to hear that. I assume you knew her." Nick said softly, Lance laughing sadly.

"Yeah, I suppose you could say that. Laura was so excited when she found out. She'd always wanted kits, so when she found out... _god_ , she was so happy. She was going to quit being an Operator when the kit was born. Wanted to call it River if it was a Vixen or Jack if it was a Todd." Lance said, his voice cracking as he held back more tears to speak. "She was worried, you know, about who the father was. She knew who it was, I think, but she didn't want that mammal to worry about it." Nick tilted his head, clearly trying to figure out who Lance meant.

"Who was it?" He asked after a long moment, Lance smiling lightly.

"I found out only about a week ago that she was pregnant. I was _so excited_ to be a father. And now..." Lance trailed off, clenching his paws tightly. Blood began to drip from his right paw, Nick blinking and unthinkingly reaching out and taking his paw, Lance stiffening as he opened his paw to show the necklace. Nick managed to keep himself from recoiling or showing any outward reaction aside from curiosity, picking it up and looking at it.

"Where did you get this?" He asked, unable to keep the cold anger from his voice.

"...I found it. It was left behind by Laura's body, so I assume it's from her killer." Lance said after a moment, Nick looking at him and Lance looking back. He finally dipped his head in acceptance of the answer, standing.

"Well, then, I'll take this and see who its been touched by in the past two days or so. If we're lucky, there will be a strand or two of fur from them left." Nick said, Lance nodding in agreement as Nick pocketed the necklace.

"I'll...see you later, then, Nicky." Lance said, Nick blinking at the nickname. He left it alone, however, knowing how Lance got when he was grieving.

"Yeah. You ever need somebody to talk to, I doubt Judy would mind." Nick said, Lance dipping his head in thanks before resting his head on the head of what had once been Laura Stone, Nick leaving silently.

Nick found Judy where he'd left her, the Doe beginning to look impatient.

"You're lucky I'm patient. Your time was up five minutes ago." She said, Nick scoffing.

"Sorry, Judy, but a friend of mine needed me. He just lost his mate." Nick said, Judy's paws flying up to cover her muzzle in shock.

"Oh, god, the poor Todd." She whispered, Nick sighing. He held the necklace out, letting it hang.

"He _says_ he found this by her body, and that he thinks it was from her killer." He said, Judy catching the emphasis on 'says'.

"You don't believe him." She accused, Nick huffing.

"I'd like to. But something tells me he isn't telling me the truth and, to be honest, that kinda hurts. I'd thought he trusted me more than that." Nick said, Judy tilting her head.

 _'Why would he think the Operator trusted him...?'_ She thought, though she didn't bring it up out loud. She knew Nick would tell her if he thought she needed to know.

"We should get that back to the station, then. I'll tell the med-van where he is." Judy said, Nick nodding in agreement. He paused in thought as Judy began to descend down the stairs, looking up towards the roof.

 _'What have you gotten yourself into, Lance?'_

 **And that does it for Chapter 31 of Zootopian Assassins! This Chapter took a bit of a turn from what I intended, but I quite like where it went. Next Chapter I'm gonna go into a bit of a backstory with Lance and Laura, which I** ** _should_** **do in a Oneshot, but I won't just because I'm literally running out of plot at this point. This may have to end a bit sooner than I planned, unless you guys can give me a few ideas. Preferably ones that will either let me keep the planned 50 Chapters or extend the number of planned Chapters. I'm sorry I had to go on hiatus, but I want to finish up Kinesis Chronicles and begin planning out the sequel, which I'm thinking of calling Kinesis Wars or something. It'll be a bit more action oriented than the first story, hence the title. Speaking of Kinesis Chronicles, I'm going to be changing the name or Kinesis Beginnings when I get the final Chapter uploaded. Back to this Chapter, though. You guys thought I was going to recruit Lance into the Brotherhood, didn't you? Sorry, but the Assassins need** ** _some_** **kind of actual enemy aside from the Red Panda. For Laura being killed, I wanted to go into extreme detail but I figured a 'less is more' approach would be more appropriate, since it was supposed to be a sad scene, not a disturbing one. I feel like I succeeded, if only slightly, but tell me what you guys think. Anyway, this is getting long enough as it is, I will see you guys...next update. Word Count: 5,431**


	33. Together

**Hey guys Price here and welcome to Chapter 32 of Zootopian Assassins! I hope you guys enjoy this, because I very much hope this hiatus is not very long, which would mean I get to Chapter 40 quickly. Who knows, if I'm lucky, I might finish Chapter 40** ** _before_** **the Wednesday after Chapter 31 would go up. Probably not, though, so don't hold out hope. Why am I saying this when you probably won't see it at the normal time? Who knows. But, as promised, this Chapter largely covers Lance and Laura's backstory. It will begin from when they first met, and my Tooth and Claw readers may recognize a Character or two from that story. It starts in the Present, however, because Lance will be telling this to Nick. Anyway, this is getting long enough, I think it's time to get...onto the story!**

Nick sat on the roof of the apartment building he and Judy lived in, his old friend Lance Whitney sitting beside him. The Todd had come over, asking if he could talk to Nick for a bit about something. Nick had, naturally, agreed, wondering what his ex wanted to talk about so much he'd actually come to see him at his place of residence.

"So, what'd you want to talk about?" Nick asked, turning his head to look at Lance with a curious expression.

"I just wanted to talk. Maybe tell you a bit about Laura, if you'd like." Lance answered, Nick nodding absentmindedly.

"I would like to hear about you two." Nick admitted, Lance chuckling.

"Very well. So, we met at a celebration party for Operator graduation, about four months ago..."

 _Four Months Prior, October 10_ _th_ _, 2018_

Lance sat on a stool, a small rocks glass hanging from his raised paws as he rolled it absentmindedly, the glass only holding a small amount of Baileys Irish Cream. He was a lightweight, only recently having tried the stuff recently, but he liked it. It was smooth, almost velvety, but he still treated it with caution since he didn't want to risk getting inebriated past a _very_ light buzz, especially considering it had a seventeen percent ABV which, while not necessarily a whole lot compared to the other options he could have chosen, was still more than he would have preferred. But he didn't like the taste of some of the lesser drinks, so he'd gone with the drink he currently had.

The stool next to him creaking alerted him to a visitor, and he turned his head curiously. A Vixen he recognized from his Operator squad sat next to him, mostly ignoring him save for a brief glance. She looked at the wall uncertainly, and Lance felt strangely compelled to make a suggestion to her.

"I'd tell you to try the Baileys Irish Cream since it's good for beginners, but I don't know if my advice would be welcome very much." He remarked, the Vixen glancing at him.

"That what you've got?" She asked, Lance nodding. She raised her paw and the mammal behind the counter approached, leaning against the counter. She gestured to me, the Wolf nodding and going about preparing it. She handed it to the Vixen, who dipped her head in thanks, and walked away to deal with other customers. "You know, the others were worried when you left. They figured you were ill or something." She said, Lance letting a short smirk touch his muzzle. He'd figured she'd followed him, since she had been at the other, more cop centric bar with the squad. Hassan, a Sumatran Tiger and one of Lance's few close friends, had probably sent her out of concern.

"Nah, just like this place. Small, out of the way, few customers to bother me. Ideal for somebody who doesn't want to be in a crowd." Lance said, tapping the bottom of his glass on the countertop and raising it up to signal for a refill. The Wolf filled it, then set it down in front of him with a polite nod.

"So you're an introvert." The Vixen said, her tone guarded and careful, almost hesitant, and it occurred to Lance she may have wanted something more than idle small talk.

"Largely, though I can do crowds if I want. I just prefer my own company, with either my knives, a gun, or a good book to keep me company. I tend to prefer the book, though, especially reading the manga adaptation of All You Need is Kill. Good art, good story, and I like it more than the book itself, and definitely more than the movie adaptation, Edge of Tomorrow." Lance answered, the Vixen looking more interested than anything at his answer.

"Favorite character?" She asked, Lance pausing to think.

"Full Metal Biiiiiiiii-..." Lance trailed off, both to prevent accidentally insulting the Vixen and to stop himself from cussing. It wasn't something he liked, so he tended to steer clear of saying or thinking in those words. He still indulged himself, of course, but rarely and only if he could think of _literally_ no other proper response. Such as stubbing a toe on a surface. The normal things. "Rita." He corrected himself, smiling briefly. "Though Keiji isn't bad, either, for a Wolf."

"Yeah, the manga definitely made him look nice." The Vixen admitted, Lance blinking.

"So you've read it too." He accused, the Vixen chuckling.

"Of course. Liked the movie, liked the book, figured I'd give the manga a shot. Was not disappointed." She answered, Lance actually laughing at this.

"Yeah, same here." Lance agreed, the Vixen taking a small drink from her glass. "So, there must have been a reason you came here aside from being sent out of concern for me, right? Not many mammals would just go out looking for somebody else they don't know without a better reason than that."

"I suppose I was curious about you, seeing as you _are_ , technically, the squad's leader. Plus the Commander, Akimbo, may have let it slip you were...well, an interesting character." She admitted, wording the last three words carefully.

"Oh? Please, elaborate." Lance said, the Vixen hesitating.

"She said you may be a bit...wound up." She said, Lance blinking. "You know, like you were stressed, and that you might need somebody to help you vent." Lance felt a brief moment of alarm course through him, wondering if the Vixen was talking about what he thought she was.

"She could have just called somebody, if she was so worried." Lance said, the implications of what he meant clearly not lost on the Vixen, because she flushed in embarrassment.

"No, I didn't mean like that! Oh god no, not that. I meant as in you would want somebody to spar with or something." She said, Lance arching an eyebrow.

"You probably should have lead with that, then, if you didn't want to accidentally offer." He said, chuckling. "But tell Kate I'm fine. I know somebody who can help me blow off some steam if I need to."

"Kate?" The Vixen asked, Lance blinking.

"Akimbo. That's her name, Kate Wu." He said, the Vixen's jaws parting in shock.

"I did not know that." She admitted, Lance arching an eyebrow.

"You could have asked. That's how I found out." He said, the Vixen letting out a hum of surprise as she took another drink, Lance doing the same. "So, if I may be so forward, you seeing anybody?" He asked, the Vixen looking taken aback. Lance grinned. "You know, so I can alert them if you bite it." The Vixen scoffed.

"Yeah, right, as if. To answer your question, though, no. Never had time to start anything." Lance nodded in acceptance of the answer, the Vixen eyeing him carefully. "Though I could warm up to the idea, since I'll have just about all the time in the world now."

"Agreed." Lance said, turning his head to look at the Vixen. She bit her lip nervously, Lance raising the glass and taking a drink with an eyebrow arched in patient wait. She finally turned away, back to the wall behind the counter, and Lance did the same as he lowered the glass. He looked at it, tossed the rest back, and set it down with a twenty stuck under it as he stood. "See you around, then..." Lance trailed off as it occurred he hadn't asked for her name, wondering why he'd been so rude to her like that, even if they were technically strangers.

"Range." She answered, Lance arching an eyebrow. "Laura. Laura Stone." She said sheepishly, Lance nodding.

"Lance Whitney. See you around, Laura." He said, dipping his head in farewell. Laura turned back to the counter.

"Yeah. See you around." She muttered, tossing the rest of the drink back and flipping it over, sitting it down rim first on top of Lance's, both rims matching perfectly. She pulled a ten out and set it down on top, standing up and walking out. She began the trek back to the bar the other Operators were at.

It was almost another week before Lance and Laura saw each other again, this time both dressed in full Operator attire, and they didn't even realize it until they saw each other's weapons and outfits up close, around when it was time for their mission to begin.

Lance wore a mixture of ballistic and hard plastic armor, the plastic on the more obvious places like his shins and forearms and the ballistic mask he wore over his head, along with his shoulders and a few pieces over vital parts on his chest like his heart and gut and all down his spine, though in a way that didn't harm his mobility in a noticeable way. The ballistic padding was clearly more for kinetic impacts than anything, and as such the name was slightly misleading, but it could stand up to a single .338 Lapua Magnum round if the wearer was _extremely_ lucky and it was largely a graze, so it also fit in a way.

Laura wore a much more simple outfit, though that hid one of her more beneficial pieces of equipment from view, with an armored outside and placed on the small of her back. The balaclava she wore hid her features from Lance, and as such he didn't realize who she was for most of the time they sat in the truck used to transport them to a crime scene. When he did, however, he leaned forward, and she did the same curiously, clearly not realizing it was him.

"Hey there, Laura." He said, the Vixen jerking back in surprise before composing herself when the other Operators turned in curiosity.

"Lance." She said in greeting, dipping her head. He noticed she carried the rather large – for a Fox, that is – M40a7 bolt action sniper rifle, more commonly known to the public as the Remington 700. The Todd turned his head to look down towards the largest mammal, Hassan, and whistled.

"Hey, Support, toss me a Kivaari." He said, the Tiger standing and turning. He reached up and pulled a Kivaari .338 Lapua from one of the many hooks hanging from the roof of the compartment, Akimbo and Assault ducking as he tossed the rifle to Lance. The Todd caught it easily, extending his other paw to Laura. She blinked, looking at her own rifle, then to the Kivaari, before finally nodding and handing it to Lance and taking the offered weapons. Lance tossed the rifle to Hassan, the Tiger placing it where the Kivaari had come from.

"Thank you." Laura said softly, Lance nodding as he reached up behind him and pulled a holographic sight and tossing it to her, the Vixen nodding thankfully as she slid the sight onto the rail and locked it into place.

When the doors opened and Akimbo stood, Lance felt the familiar sense of annoyance that they were required for the situation rest in him. He dismissed it, however, and stood.

"Alright, Operator Squad One, it's time to show these so called 'cops' how you handle a situation!" She barked, a collective 'hooah!' coming from the the other Operators. She chuckled. "Now let's go, go, go!" She shouted, turning and jumping down from the truck and onto the ground outside. The others jumped out behind her, Lance stopping Laura as she turned to head across the road to the building. She looked at him curiously.

"Come with me. We gotta stay in pairs, first rule of being an Operator, and I'm not leaving you to Assault." He said, Laura nodding after a moment. He turned and began walking towards the building they would be infiltrating, seeing Operator Squad Two heading around to the West side while Hassan and Mike, also known as Assault, heading towards the East Side. Akimbo and Infiltration, Squad Two's leader, heading towards the back. As was normal, the second pair in Squad Two would enter through the roof while the rest of the Operators would clear floor by floor until they met somewhere relatively in the middle, or wherever they ended up meeting at.

Lance ignored any attempts at stealth by kicking in the front door, the poor hinges snapping under the sudden force and sending the door into the lobby of the building. He gestured for Laura to go to stay at the door as he moved inwards towards the dumbstruck trio of mammals that had pretty much no weapons to defend themselves with, save for one who had procured a fire axe of all things. That mammal rushed forward, swinging wide and towards Lance's head. The Todd simply leaned back, the blade missing his muzzle by a whisper. He quickly leaned forward again, smashing the forehead of his mask against the muzzle of the Coyote who had charged him. He stumbled back and Lance stepped forward, driving his knee into the Coyote's gut and making him double over, where Lance wrapped his arm around his neck and placed his paw on his throat, digging claws in and ripping as hard as he could. The Coyote collapsed with blood pooling from his neck, twitching as he bled out.

"Oh my god..." One of the mammals whispered as Lance approached them, both frozen in fear. He stopped two steps away from them, looking between them a few times. Lance raised a paw, pressing two digits together.

"Boo." He said, one of the mammals yelping and leaping back. Lance snapped his digits together, the bark of the Kivaari signaling the demise of the other mammal as his head was destroyed by the .338 Lapua Magnum round. Lance grabbed the other mammal's wrist before they could react, pulling them closer and one paw pulling a knife, his tanto, free. He sank it up to the hilt into the terrified mammal's throat, the poor Leopard gurgling as they weakly clawed at Lance's paw. He ripped the knife to the side, cutting the aorta and wiping the blood off as the Leopard fell to the ground. He sheathed it and turned, gesturing for Laura to follow.

They worked their way up through the floors, killing along the way as was the Operator code and method of use. They were a last resort and lethal force only group, having no ways nor weapons to incapacitate criminals without getting in close, which only Lance specialized in.

When the mission was over Lance leaned against the wall with a carton in his paws, debating whether he wanted to eat one or not. Laura approached, noticing the carton but unable to see what it was.

"Didn't know you smoked." She said, Lance blinking.

"I don't." He said, flicking the lid open and pulling one of the sticks inside out. He stuck it in his mouth, sucking on the chocolate coating, and held out the carton. "Pocky?" Laura looked both surprised and confused, hesitantly taking one and tentatively biting off a small piece. Her eyes widened and she took another, larger bite. "Hey, savor it. Unless you know where to get it, this isn't easy to find even here in Zootopia." Lance advised, Laura's ears flattening and looking like an overgrown skulking kit being caught doing something they shouldn't have.

"Okay." She said softly, dipping her head in thanks and turning, walking back towards the truck. Lance watched her walk away, eyes subconsciously traveling lower.

Laura climbed into the truck, Hassan looking up and freezing when he saw her. He turned, tilting his head.

"What're you eating?" He asked, Laura blinking.

"Lance said it was pocky." She answered, thinking she may have made some kind of mistake. Hassan glanced outside, frowning.

"He must like you, then." He remarked, Laura flushing at the words.

"Why do you say that?" She asked softly, Hassan arching an eyebrow.

"Because he doesn't share his pocky with mammals only considered a friend." Hassan answered, Laura's mouth dropping open. Luckily, she was holding the stick of pocky in her paw, so it didn't fall to the ground.

"Oh." She said softly, looking down awkwardly and munching on the chocolate coated biscuit again.

A moment later Lance appeared, climbing into the truck and making his way to where he'd been sitting before they had climbed out, right across from Laura. She glanced up at him briefly, then back down to the floor, and he glanced at Hassan.

"What'd you do, Hassan?" He asked, the Sumatran Tiger looking surprised at the question.

"Me? Do something?" He asked, Lance's eyes conveying all that was needed from behind the mask. "I suppose you could say that." He said after a moment, Lance shaking his head as he turned back to looking straight ahead.

He continued to stare straight ahead, and incidentally right at Laura, until they arrived back at the building they called their own. It was technically the original Precinct One, back before it'd moved to be better in the middle of Savannah Central, but now it was called the Lost Precinct, or at least the beat cops called it that, but the Operators called it Home for most of the year, capitalized and everything.

Almost a month later, in the lounge room at six in the morning, Lance sat in a rather comfortable bean bag chair, absorbed in a book on his Ibexpad. He turned the digital page with a tap of a digit on the screen, getting ready to continue when something caught his attention. He lowered the electronic device, already knowing what it was.

"You need something, Laura?" He asked, turning his head slightly. The Vixen approached from the door, clearly hesitant. Lance waited patiently, the Vixen stopping an arms length away. "Well?"

"Um, well, I was thinking, and..." Laura hesitated still, Lance wanting nothing more than to just bark at her to spit it out. He held off, though, knowing she probably had a good reason to be so hesitant and nervous. "H-how do you feel about me?" She asked, Lance blinking. That was not the words he'd been expecting.

"Why do you ask?" He inquired, Laura opening her mouth, then closing it again.

"Well, everybody seemed to make such a big deal that you shared some of that stuff with me a month ago, so I figured I'd get your side, instead of what they seemed to be implying." She said, Lance groaning at the words.

"Oh my god, they're like kits in kindergarten talking about who one of their friends has a crush on." He said, shaking his head. "To answer your question, though...I suppose I certainly see you as more than a friend, though to what extent that applies would depend on a few things, namely how you view us as well. I shall make no advancements unless I'm certain you'd reciprocate." He added, Laura nodding in acceptance of the answer.

"You mean to say you don't take risks." She accused, Lance shrugging.

"Risks can get you broken, betrayed, or killed. Oftentimes, the risk outweighs the reward." Lance responded, Laura frowning. She hesitated, then looked at the forgotten Ibexpad.

"What were you reading?" She asked, Lance looking down and holding it up.

"All You Need Is Kill Volume Two." The Todd answered, the clear art of a manga making Laura chuckle.

"You really like those books, don't you?" She asked, Lance shrugging.

"They're good. Almost to the point where Keiji admits his feelings for Rita." Lance answered, scooting over a bit in the large chair. This did not go unnoticed by Laura, who hesitated. Lance looked up at her, arching an eyebrow. "You can sit, if you want." He said, the Vixen nodding hesitantly and sitting beside him. Lance went back to reading, Laura reading as well. It'd been a while since she'd been able to read this adaptation.

Lance awoke the next morning with a small, almost silent groan as he opened his eyes. He didn't raise his head, however, wanting to wake up before he did so as to prevent the vertigo he tended to get when he sat up before comfortably awake.

The feeling of warmth on his side made him blink in curiosity; deciding to risk it, he raised his head. He turned it, staring when he found himself still sitting in the bean bag chair with Laura next to him. He looked around, then smiled a small smile to himself and lay back down, head resting on her shoulder.

When Lance awoke next, it was to a blinding flash of light and a dreadfully familiar _click!_ that had him awake faster than cold water being poured on his head. His eyes shot open and a paw flashed out, grabbing the unfortunately close phone and applying enough pressure to make it bend slightly.

"Uh oh." He heard somebody say, even as he applied still more pressure and bent the phone more. It was a good thing it was a new model that was designed to be bent and still be useable.

"Delete. It." He growled out warningly, Mike nodding vigorously and pressing a few buttons. He showed his gallery to Lance, the Todd taking a clearly excruciatingly long time to scan each and every picture and screenshot in his view. He finally nodded, Mike quickly pulling the phone back and pocketing it as he backed away. He turned and ran out, Lance waiting for a long moment before gently laying his head back down.

"We should get up." Laura suddenly said, Lance sighing.

"Perhaps. Don't want to, though." He said, Laura turning her head to look at him. Lance moved his head back so she could.

"Sorry for falling asleep." She said, Lance smiling softly.

"It's fine. I don't mind." He said, reaching up as he began to stretch. He yawned, jaws spread a lot wider than was really comfortable, elbows and knees and back creaking and popping loudly. Laura groaned in disgust. "Besides, been awhile since I had somebody I like enough to let them close like this." He added, Laura blinking.

"Who was the first, if I may ask?" She asked, trying not to feel a small twinge of jealousy that Lance had been with somebody before.

"You wouldn't know him, at least not personally. He was nice, though, so I think you'd like him." Lance answered, Laura staring in shock. "What?" He asked, tilting his head.

"You're saying you were with a Todd at some point?" She asked incredulously, Lance shrugging.

"Yeah. I'll admit it was strange at first, but we got along and we loved each other. It just...didn't work out, in the end. He didn't want to get me involved in his way of life while I couldn't stop pushing. So we split up with mutual agreement and on good terms, which I'm eternally grateful for." Laura looked like she wanted to say something comforting, but I held up a paw to stop her. "I'm over it, Laura. It's been a few years, and he's seeing somebody now. Right now, you're the only one on my mind." Laura flushed at that, smiling slightly. Lance bit his lip nervously, wondering if what he was about to do was the right thing. Deciding to throw caution away like spoiled milk, he pretended to stretch again and slowly brought his paws down. His right paw found gentle purchase on the back of Laura's head and he applied enough pressure to move her head forward, doing the same with his own until their muzzles met softly. Laura froze in surprise, then relaxed into it. She reached up and gently cupped the side of his muzzle. Laura shifted herself and raised her other paw, moving them down to Lance's neck and the base of his skull as he suddenly found her in his lap.

When they pulled away slowly, they stared at each other for a long moment with their breaths stuttering, until Laura grinned as Lance saw the gears begin to turn in her head. She began to lightly drum on his shoulder.

"You know, I think I have something to do out in Tundra Town tonight. I might end up needing some help." She said a bit louder than usual; it took a long moment for Lance to realize she was doing it in case somebody was listening in. It took a moment more for him to realize her light drumming was morse.

 _'Rainforest District. Ten. Don't be late.'_ She tapped out, Lance nodding to show he'd understood. She stopped, standing with a groan and stretching. She walked out, Lance sighing. A few minutes later Hassan stuck his head in.

"Hey, what was Laura in here for?" He asked, seemingly genuinely curious. Lance assumed either she or somebody else had mentioned it. "I was coming to see if you were in here, but what was...she..." The Sumatran Tiger trailed off when realization seemed to dawn, his eyes widening almost comically slowly. "Oh."

"Stop it. Mind out of the gutter now. She simply fell asleep and I didn't feel like waking her. Nothing happened." Lance lied through his teeth, Hassan dipping his head.

"Alright. I didn't mean to insinuate anything. Sorry." He said, Lance nodding.

"So, what'd you want?" Lance asked, the Tiger hesitating. He sighed.

"You may want to follow me." He said, Lance feeling a small feeling of fear grip him as he wondered what could have Hassan visibly worried. Lance stood and followed the Tiger.

A few minutes later found Lance staring at a rather large picture of him and Laura asleep next to each other, Lance's head resting on her shoulder with a small smile on his muzzle. Laura's paw was resting in a rather suggestive position on Lance's leg, though it had clearly moved since Lance didn't remember it being there when he'd been woken up.

"I am going to kill Mike." Lance said angrily, paws clenched. Hassan looked terrified, and rightfully so. It wasn't exactly a secret that Lance Whitney with a cold, calculating anger was something you _never_ wanted to be on the receiving end of, or even within ten feet of him, hence the fact Hassan was at a safe distance of at least twenty feet. "I'm serious. He is going to die a messy death. They won't be able to identify him when I'm done."

"Um, Lance, the mammal who took the picture wasn't Mike..." Hassan said nervously, Lance twirling to face him.

"Then who was it?" He asked with noticeable heat in his voice, Hassan visibly gulping. Lance's expression softened. "Come on Hassan, buddy, tell me. I promise, nothing bad will come of you if you took it." He all but purred smoothly, Hassan shaking his head.

"It wasn't me. It was...it was Kate." He said, Lance blinking.

"What." Lance couldn't even form any other thoughts, let alone words, at the admission that Kate, their _Commander_ , had taken the picture. His expression quickly returned to what could, if Hassan was forced to describe it, best be described as a deceptively calm and pacifying smile on par with the most terrifying of slasher smiles, which was something else Lance was scarily good at in a fight. "Alright. Thank you for the information, my friend. I'll see you later." He said, walking past Hassan and patting him on the arm lightly.

The Sumatran Tiger wanted nothing more than to build a giant fort and hide.

Later that day found Lance, sporting a broken tooth from where he had ran into a _corner –_ and perhaps a certain female Wolf's fist after challenging her to a sparring match – of all things, and that was saying something because he tended to stick to the middle of the hallway unless physically impossible, sitting in a chair situated off to the side in one of the Rainforest District's many hotels, having been told which one to come to earlier by Laura.

"Excuse me, sir, are you waiting for somebody?" A mammal asked, Lance looking up from examining his claws in curiosity.

"Oh, yeah. A friend of mine. Should be here any minute..." Lance trailed off in his answer as his eyes locked onto the door, or, more importantly, the mammal who had just stepped inside. The Bobcat followed his gaze and whistled quietly when he saw who he was looking at.

"Whoa. If that's them, I wish you luck, brother." The Bobcat said, turning and walking away as Lance debated hiding. He suddenly felt rather underdressed, even though Laura had said just to wear casual attire. Even so, she looked amazing in the simple, urban camo short sleeved shirt and sweat pants she wore. She looked around, eyes locking onto Lance and a smile lighting up her face. She approached, slowing to a stop when she saw what he was wearing.

"Oh..." Laura said, her eyes wide at the rather form fitting red and black shirt. She let out a small growl of appreciation, Lance chuckling nervously.

"If you'd like, I could put on a show." He offered jokingly, Laura pausing as the idea reached her ears. The smile widened and Lance realized he may have made a mistake. Whether it would be a horrible one or possibly the best one in his life, he didn't yet know. Laura took a deep breath and turned, walking away and to the counter, purposefully and knowingly leaning ever so slightly and drawing Lance's attention to the fact the pants she wore left nothing to hide. He averted his gaze quickly, not wanting to seem like some sort of creep even though he had a pretty good idea why she had asked him to meet her here.

When she was done Laura straightened and turned with room key in paw, approaching Lance. The Todd waited.

"So I happened to get lucky and Lake was working tonight; she owes me a few favors from back when we were friends. I had to cash in all of them, but I managed to get us the top floor." She said, Lance tilting his head.

"You mean a room on the top floor, right?" He asked, Laura grinning.

"No, the whole floor." She answered casually, Lance unable to keep the words that came next inside his head.

"Marry me..." Lance whispered, Laura straightening in shock at the words. Lance quickly realized he _hadn't_ kept them inside like he thought and panicked. "Sorry! Oh god, that was not supposed to be said out loud. Oh my god, I am so sorry." He said quickly, a small, single laugh escaping Laura as a paw came up and a digit crooked as it was put in front of her muzzle. She laughed again, the sound making Lance think that maybe he _hadn't_ royally messed up.

"Sure thing, though maybe not right now. We still gotta get to know each other a bit better, yeah?" She said, Lance blinking.

 _'Wait...did she just...?'_

"Hold up, seriously? You just agreed." He said, Laura shrugging.

"I did, though I may change my mind if you don't get up and follow me to the elevator right now." She said, making Lance shut his jaw with a resounding _clack!_ that had the hotel staff in the lobby all look towards them. He promptly stood and followed Laura as she strode over to the elevator.

As the doors closed, a Wolf turned to look at a Ram.

"He's got it _baaaaaaa-d._ " They said, the Ram rolling their eyes at the joke.

Lance stepped from the elevator when it opened, blinking when he found himself across from a single door. He looked around, not spotting any other door down the hall. He turned to look at Laura.

"Wait, how many rooms are there on the top floor?" He asked, Laura grinning. He suspected she had picked it up from him, seeing as he _did_ grin a lot when he knew something others didn't. Well, it was more a smirk than a grin.

"Just the one." She said, Lance's eyes widening.

"Oh." He said, realization dawning as he wondered just how many favors Laura had used up for a single night when she could have gotten an easier one for a great many nights and days instead. That was replaced as he realized how smart she was being. It was unlikely anybody would be wanting to rent out the top floor any time soon, whereas it would be much more difficult to get one of the other rooms for longer and not attract attention.

Laura strode past Lance and used the electronic key to unlock the door, a beep signaling a success, and she pushed it open before turning to Lance.

"Come on." She said, Lance following. He looked around in awe as he entered the room, a single shocked laugh escaping him. He turned to see Laura staring at him and biting her lip. His throat suddenly felt dry. "So, we've got all night to do whatever we want..." the Vixen began, Lance waiting to see where she would go. "What do you want to do?"

"I'm fine with whatever, though I will admit I _am_ curious as to why you wanted to come here instead of the private quarters at Home." Lance answered, Laura grinning in response again.

"Alright. Show me what you can do, then." She said, Lance chuckling at the euphemism even as he approached her. He took her paw gently, pulling her along slowly and with a calm smile on his muzzle. His hind paws hit the edge of the bed and he hesitated.

"Listen, if anything makes you uncomfortable, just tell me. I am more than happy to just fall asleep next to you. This doesn't have to go anywhere if you get nervous or unsure or anything like that." He said, Laura nodding in understanding. She pushed him, Lance falling back. He was both excited and nervous, but excitement was in the lead at the moment.

Lance opened his eyes slowly, warmth on top of him alerting him to the fact he wasn't alone. He looked down to see Laura asleep on his chest, a content and blissful smile on her muzzle. He smiled softly, wondering if he truly deserved this or not but not really bothering to think too seriously about it. He lay his head back and closed his eyes, content to go back to sleep.

Lance was awoken next time by something shifting the bed, Lance opening his eyes slightly – just a crack, really – to see Laura lay back down and shuffle until she was pressed against him. He snaked a paw in a sleepy way around her, pulling her closer with a tired mumble.

"Nice try. I know you're awake." She said, Lance huffing.

"Only just now. Felt you get back in. Something happen?" Lance asked, Laura scoffing.

"No, just had to go. We still got a few hours before we need to leave. Go back to sleep." Laura said, Lance feeling a small spark of an idea burn him.

"Actually, I think I have a better idea." He said, Laura turning her head at his tone. He faltered. "You know, if you want. I can go back to sleep if you'd rather not."

"Hm, you missed your chance for a wonderful pun there." She remarked, Lance laughing at that.

"Perhaps. Seriously, though, I don't want to pressure you. I'm fine with just going back to sleep." Lance said, Laura grinning that familiar and, if Lance was being honest, rather sexy grin of hers.

"What can another hurt?" She said, Lance laughing at that even as Laura pressed her muzzle to his.

A few more weeks passed with nobody at Home any wiser to them than if they were close friends, or at least until the – apparently annual and traditional – New Year's party when Mike walked in on them enjoying each other's company. Being the mammal he was, plus all the drinks he'd had, he had quickly told everybody and Lance had unashamedly and without hesitation nor any other outward display of emotion admitted they'd been seeing each other for a while, all the while Laura had been standing there looking as if she might cry in embarrassment at being found out that way.

It was January twenty fifth when Lance was approached by Laura, looking nervous and terrified, which in turn made him begin to worry.

"Lance, I need to tell you something." She said, the Todd not liking her tone, not one bit.

"A-alright. Yeah, sure. Of course." He said, looking around worriedly, knowing they were alone but still feeling nervous, like there was something important that everybody but him seemed to know, or if they didn't they were waiting around every corner to try and find out. "Is...is something wrong?" He asked, Laura hesitating.

"Lance, I can't...I can't be an Operator any more." She said, the Todd blinking in shock.

"What? But why? You told me you'd wanted to be one since you found out they existed. What could make you give something like that up?" He asked, now greatly worried that things might just be falling apart.

"I can't put myself in danger. Not anymore. Not when I have more than myself to protect." She said, her last sentence causing Lance's eyes to widen in realization and his breathing to stutter ever so slightly. He blinked.

"Laura...are you sure?" He asked, the Vixen nodding gravely.

"I just took a test this morning. I'm positive." She said, Lance's eyes drifting lower as his mind tried to process everything. Something he always hated about himself was he could never process too many things at once. If he was overloaded with emotions, sounds, sights, _anything_ that proved to be too much, he simply shut down whatever was being overloaded for an indeterminate amount of time. Laura was aware of this, thankfully, so he could see understanding in her expression when he simply looked back at her blankly.

"Okay." He said softly, his voice numb, the emotions proving to be too strong for even a shut down to take care of. His eyes welled with tears and he wrapped his arms around Laura in a hug. "Thank you."

"Hey, it's not the end of the world, alright? Just...having a kit." Laura's gaze wandered.

"Wow, it seems so terrifying until you actually say it." Lance remarked dryly as he hesitantly stepped back to speak to her better, Laura rolling her eyes.

"Oh shut it. I know you're excited, and I'm sure you can't wait to tell the others." Laura said, Lance tilting his head.

"Why would I do that?" He asked, Laura blinking. "They may be my friends...well, most of them, anyway, but still. Unless we decide otherwise, they don't need to know. Will they be upset we didn't tell them? Perhaps, but it's our choice. And, to be honest, I'd like to get as much of it out of my system as possible before I tell anybody." He said, Laura nodding.

"What are you telling us?" Hassan's voice suddenly asked, Lance turning to see him poke his head inside. "I overheard you talking about us, but that's it. What do you want to tell us?"

"Um...nothing. Maybe later. It can wait." Laura said, Hassan narrowing his eyes suspiciously but nonetheless nodding and leaving.

"Well that was close." Lance remarked, turning back to Laura. "Seriously, though, thank you. For giving me a chance, and for trusting me enough for something like this. It means a lot, really." The Vixen smiled in response.

"I'll miss it, of course, but I suppose I can get used to being a civvie again. Besides, with somebody to keep me busy, I'm sure I won't run out of stuff to do." She said, Lance pausing to consider something.

"If I may be so bold, but would you be willing to stay at least as long as you can? Hassan already has his Buddy, so that would leave me alone, and we both know how that is." Lance said, adding the last part jokingly. It was a bit of a running gag between them, except without the repeated occurrence of said running gag. More like they kept mentioning it, so it was more of a running joke, but semantics weren't something Lance really bothered with in that area. He'd gotten lost in Sahara Square, of all places, and had wandered for hours trying to find some kind of recognizable landmark. It still hadn't died down, even though it had happened back during training. He allowed it, though, knowing it was all in good fun.

"Yeah, I can do that. You know I'd do anything I could for you." Laura said, Lance smiling as he placed a small, gentle, loving kiss on top of her head. For a Red Fox Laura was unnaturally short at almost a full head shorter than average, but it allowed Lance to do sappy romance film things like this, so he wouldn't complain. Plus he thought it was cute, watching her stare down a Rhino in full riot gear with nothing but her eyes and as weapons. To say it was a thrill being with her was an understatement. Laura carried a sense of 'oh crap, hide' when she was calm that Lance could only achieve when pissed beyond help. Then again, all female mammals seemed able to do that, but that was besides the point.

"Yeah, that's true. And you know I'd do everything possible for you as well. And I will be the best father possible, I promise you that now. I won't be perfect, maybe not even the ideal father, but that won't change the fact that I will try my best. Can you accept that?" Lance said, Laura chuckling.

"Of course I can. And I know you'd do everything in your power to be a good father. You'll be fine, trust me." She said, Lance sighing.

"Alright. I will." He said, pulling Laura into another, albeit lighter, hug. "Love you."

"Love you too."

Neither knew that, only a week later, everything would change.

 _Present Day_

Lance sighed as he leaned forward, shaking his head.

"Nobody at Home ever found out. I don't know if I can even tell them, let alone whatever family I can dig up." He said, Nick remaining silent out of respect. The Todd was clearly still grieving, and Nick didn't know what to say or do. What _could_ he say, when he didn't even understand what his ex was going through? He felt helpless, like a kit stuck between a wall and an angry mob, and that terrified him. Nick said nothing. "They ever find the ident on the necklace?" He asked, Nick sighing.

"No. Whoever it was, they didn't let it touch anything. I'm sorry." He said, Lance nodding in understanding.

"Very well. I'll see you later." Lace said, Nick nodding his head in agreement,

"Yeah. Later." He agreed, Lance turning and walking down the stairs. Nick waited a long moment, then went down to his and Judy's apartment.

He had a lot of things to consider.

 **And that does it for Chapter 32 of Zootopian Assassins! Holy cow this was longer than intended. But that's okay, because better longer than planned than shorter than wanted. I am proud of this Chapter, since I wrote it in a little more than two days, also juggling reading both the** ** _All You Need is Kill_** **Light Novel and Manga. I loved both versions, but that ending had me ready to cry. It wasn't fair to Keiji! The most striking change, however, was the usage of profanity and violence. The Light Novel was full of it both, and indeed seemed to** ** _thrive_** **on using profane language. The manga had** ** _one_** **that I can remember, while the violence was more real due to being illustrated and all that. The movie probably had more profanity than the manga, not counting Rita's nickname, and the least amount of violence. Great read, both LN and Manga, so I highly recommend it if you want to see a bleaker, more adult orientated version of Edge of Tomorrow. So yeah, hope you guys enjoyed this short break from the main plot. Anyway, this is getting way long enough as it is, I will see you guys...next update. Word Count: 7,667**


	34. Start of Darkness

**Hey guys Price here and welcome to Chapter 33 of Zootopian Assassins! Holy crap that last Chapter was a doozy, wouldn't you agree? It went from Lance meeting Laura to finding out he was gonna be a dad,** ** _buuuuut_** **we all know how that ended up. This Chapter will wrap up the little Mini-Arc started in Chapter 31, and I hope it was enjoyable. Next Chapter, however, is gonna be** ** _violent_** **. We see just what Savage Lumi can do when her backup is Sven. Actually, this Chapter will end with the aftermath of that Contract and Lance arriving on the scene, while next Chapter tells you guys what happened. I do hope you guys like this short Mini-Arc, and I hope you like this Chapter. It will hopefully be largely set with Lance telling everyone at Home about Laura being pregnant, among a few other things, and I hope I can get the atmosphere right. Anyway, that's enough of that, I think it's time to get...onto the story!**

Lance held his aching jaw as he stared at the raging Todd in front of him, the other Operators who were present watching from the sidelines. They could tell this was a private matter and interfering would only make it worse.

"Well come on, tell me! How can you be so cold to the fact that she died needlessly!?" The Todd shouted, clearly about ready to break down. Lance sighed.

"You wanna know the truth?" Lance said coolly, the Todd growling. "The truth is, Mister Stone, that I'm not indifferent. Your daughter was aware of this, but when I get overloaded by something, be it emotions or sounds or sights or smells, that specific part of me shuts down. Right now, I'm so emotionally compromised that I wouldn't even be able to function if I didn't have this ability." He said, hanging his head slightly. "But, I suppose that it's to be expected I'd be so emotionally compromised, considering I was gonna be a father." There was a gasp of horror at that, the older Todd staring at him in shock, the anger eradicated with that one sentence, while the other Operators just stared on.

"She...she was...my daughter was pregnant?" He asked, Lance nodding.

"Yeah. We'd agreed on calling it Jack if it was a Todd or River if it was a Vixen." Lance said, the Todd stepping closer. "To be honest, I didn't even know until about two weeks ago. I was happy, as I'm sure you know, but also terrified. I was forcing her to give up her dream, and for what? Sure, I couldn't have been moe excited, but I also felt regret. I was the one who put the kit there, but she would have to suffer for it." Lance said, shaking his head. "Don't get me wrong, neither of us would ever admit we were unhappy with _anything_ , not at that point, but we still knew. I could tell she didn't want to give up her dream, but at the same time there wasn't a snowball's chance in hell she would give up the kit either. So she did what she thought was right and decided to quit when she couldn't physically stay with us."

"What would you rather her do!? Just end it before it even had a chance!?" The Todd asked, anger returning quickly.

"We could have always had another when we _wanted_ one, so in that sense yes. To be honest, though, no. I didn't want her to do that, but I wasn't going to stop her if she chose to." Lance answered, the Todd apparently not liking the answer and swinging again. Lance's didn't even budge this time, head not moving a _millimeter_ even when it was obvious the Todd had given it his all. He simply stared right into the terrified eyes of Laura's father. "I loved your daughter, and I wanted nothing more than for her to be happy. I would have gladly offered my life for her, especially when I found out she had something else to protect. If you honestly believe I cared for her any less just because I wouldn't have stopped her from ending the pregnancy, then you aren't cut out to be a parent. In the end, it would have been her choice and her choice alone. If she had wanted to, I could have cried, screamed, and begged her not to but it wouldn't have made a single difference. But it didn't come to that. She knew what she was giving up but she didn't care; all she cared about was making me happy. She was immensely selfless, but she knew she couldn't afford to continue being an Operator because one day that would kill her and she didn't want our kit to grow up without a mother. I have never pushed Laura outside of helping her train, and I never expected anything from her that she wasn't comfortable with." He said with that same cold, indifferent voice, though some anger was beginning to seep in. The Todd backed away as a smile began to form, clearly afraid of Lance.

"W-what are you?" He asked as Lance turned and walked away, the Todd freezing as he paused to contemplate his answer. He looked over his shoulder.

"Me?" He said, the smile on his muzzle infinitely more creepy than anything he'd done up until that point. "Whoever killed her...I'm their own personal hell." With that, Lance turned and walked away, thinking back to the past week and everything that had gone down.

 _One Week Prior_

Lance stepped into Home, his expression one of boredom, though anybody familiar with him could see something was wrong. It was all in his eyes; while his face may not express much during a shutdown, which this clearly was, his eyes could tell you everything you needed to know about what had caused it to happen.

Hassan saw him and approached, thinking he was just bored until he got up close, and he saw the Todd's eyes.

"Lance, what happened? Where's Laura?" He asked, Lance freezing as his eyes slowly widened in hysteria. He leaned forward until his head was against the Tiger's chest, the Feline realizing what was happening and quickly catching him as his legs gave out. A sob escaped Lance as Hassan slowly lowered to his knees, more sobs escaping the Todd.

"We were watching the warehouse, and two civvies came. We had a scuffle when I misidentified them, but we resolved it quickly. Laura was in the midst of telling me it was clear when this god awful tearing sound filled the comm and her voice cut out. I raced across the road and to the roof of the adjacent building, but I was too late." Lance said, Hassan merely listening in silence save for his breaths noticeably deepening as he tried to remain calm. Lance's words were stuttered from his overflowing emotional state as he continued. "God, Hassan, it was horrible. Just about everything seemed to be broken! Her arms, her legs, her neck! Her head was twisted around like a freakin' doll, Hassan!" He cried, the Tiger unable to say anything if he wanted to at the horror of imagining the scene described.

"Hey, Lance, calm dow-" Lance snapped at the words, pulling away harshly and eyes blazing.

"Don't you dare tell me to calm down like you understand! You have no idea how it feels to lose everything at the same time! Your mate, your kit, _everything_ I had was taken from me!" Hassan's eyes widened at the words, silence stretching to the point you could hear a pin drop.

"Oh god, Lance, I'm so-" Hassan tried to say, but Lance was having none of that.

"No you're not, Hassan! You _can't_ be sorry, not when you don't understand how it feels! If you had any idea what I am going through, you wouldn't _need_ to tell me that you're sorry, or any of that stupid crap you see in movies! It doesn't work like that!" He shouted, eyes brimming with tears ready to fall. He shoved past Hasan, actually managing to push the Tiger off balance, and strode past him. Hasan turned and stared after him, his expression one of sorrow. A few seconds later Mike and Kate turned the corner looking confused.

"Hassan? What happened, why was Lance so upset?" Kate asked, Hassan hesitating to answer for a long moment, unsure if he had any right to tell them the truth.

"Laura's dead." He answered, Kate locking up in shock.

"Oh god..." Mike said, shuddering. Kate unfroze, immediately turning and dashing down the hall in the direction Lance had gone, leaving Hassan and Mike behind to look at each other in confusion. It took a long moment for them to realize what could happen to a Fox if their mate died, whereupon they immediately ran after her.

Lance looked out over the city from the rooftop of Home, taking a deep breath and letting it out in a sigh.

"Smell that? City smells like crap, just like always, Laura." He said softly, closing his eyes and lifting his head as the wind picked up slightly, always having liked the feel of the wind; not too strong, not too light, but when it hit that area that was just right...it felt heavenly.

The sound of hurried pawsteps and panting reached his ears as the door to the inside was thrown open, Lance not having to turn to know it was Kate.

"Lance!" She shouted, the Todd turning halfway and tilting his head.

"Yes, Kate?" He asked, the Wolf gasping for air. He realized she must have ran all the way from the entrance and up all the stairs to reach him, which would explain her winded state. She always had been the one with the least endurance between the Operators.

"What are you doing?" She asked, worry in her tone. Lance shrugged.

"Just enjoying the view and the feel of the wind on my fur, nothing much. You?" He said, Kate hesitating.

"I thought...I thought-"

"What? That I was gonna jump?" Lance asked, Kate looking away. "Don't make me laugh, Kate. I'm not gonna do anything." He said, turning and leaning against the small safety wall to prevent somebody from tripping over the edge. "You're welcome to join me, though." Kate hesitantly approached, leaning against the wall next to him.

"Lance, I know I have no idea what you must be going through, but I'm sorry. You didn't deserve this." She said, the Todd letting out a small laugh.

"Perhaps." He agreed, sighing. "You know she was pregnant, right?" He asked, Kate blinking in shock. "Yep. We weren't sure if it would be a Todd or a Vixen, but we had names and everything. I was excited. I was finally happy again, but...it would seem Destiny didn't want that." He shook his head, letting it hang.

"When did you find out?" Kate asked, feeling pity for the poor Todd well up inside her. He'd finally been so happy...

"Exactly one week ago from today was the day she told me." Lance answered, Kate nodding. "She was gonna quit when the kit was born. I didn't want that for her, but I knew she wasn't going to give up on the idea. She was always stubborn like that." He said, letting out a small chuckle.

"I thought you said that was what you liked about her." Kate remarked, Lance shrugging.

"I liked a lot of things about Laura. Her stubbornness was just one of the many." He answered, looking up slightly. "You can come out now." There was a long moment where nothing happened, but eventually Mike and Hassan stepped out from hiding in the stairwell.

"Lance, I...I'm so-"

"Save it, Mike. I don't wanna hear it." The Todd said with a small amount of anger leaking into his voice, Mike nodding as he and Hassan approached. They leaned against the small wall as well, silence stretching over them as they watched the sun set over the city.

About three whole days later found Lance sitting in the middle of Laura's old room, staring her book collection spread out in front of him. He'd always wondered what she read, and now he was able to find out.

Most of the books were collected volumes of Shingeki no Kyojin, which he also liked, and the two volumes of All You Need is Kill were present as well. The strangest ones, which he never would have expected from Laura from her usual demeanor, was a collection of random doujinshis ranging from simple alternate endings to ones that would make a street worker blush.

He liked the former ones more.

A few hours after that found Lance in the gym, Kate in front of him and both their paws raised.

"Alright Lance, don't hold back." Kate advised, Lance unable to keep the rather disturbing grin from his muzzle at the words.

"Alright then. Come get me." He challenged, Kate making a scared 'tch' sound at how scarily calm and creepily he said the words with, the Wolf hesitating to move. Lance frowned. "Well come on then, don't make me resort to name calling, Wu." He said, Kate growling at that. She _hated_ being called by her last name and everybody knew it. It wasn't that she hated the name, she just preferred to be called by her first name rather than her last. She charged forward and swung as hard as she could, Lance taking the blow right beneath his eye. Dust that had settled on him rose up from the force of the hit, Kate staring at him in shock. He stared at her for a long moment, the silence unnerving the Wolf to no end, until his eyes rolled back and he fell to the mat.

"Oh god, Lance!" She shouted, worry for her friend overriding any other impulse or common sense or whatever else she would have normally relied on as she crouched over the Todd. A grin formed on his muzzle and his eyes shot open, Kate unable to move at being caught so off guard aside from a gasp.

"Surprise, Kate!" He said, voice taking on a noticeable rasp as he raised his head up and brought it against hers with a large degree of force, sending the Wolf stumbling back as Lance raised himself up. Kate groaned in pain, clutching her head as Lance grinned down at her. He reached down and raised her up by her shirt, Kate's eyes widening at the crazed look in his eyes. "You never dull your senses for anything, isn't that what you taught us? What about now, hm? You know I like to play dirty, Kate, and yet you still fell for the oldest trick in the book of fighting dirty. So come on, hit me back! Show me what you can do!" He said, Kate's eyes hardening at the words.

"Very well." She said, bringing a knee up and between Lance's legs, the Todd gasping in pain as he dropped her, clutching where he'd been hit as he backed away.

"Oh, clever, Kate." He said, pausing as a thought seemed to reach him. He chuckled. "Huh, maybe that's what we should call you, yeah? Clever Kate. Has a ring to it, wouldn't you agree?" He asked, Kate smiling.

"Yeah, sounds nice. Now what do you say we go out for a round?" She suggested, Lance groaning.

"Oh, god, I never thought you'd ask." He said as he – with some difficulty – raised himself to a stand. He hobbled past the Wolf and out the door, Kate following with a chuckle.

It was Friday when he was told that Laura's funeral would be on Saturday, and he had frozen as he tried to come up with some kind of argument why he shouldn't go. He'd used everything he had, from making sensible and true arguments to literally falling to his knees and begging Kate not to make him go, hysterical fit and all. He'd finally decided to give up and go when Kate had simply stared down at him with shocked eyes, either from the fact he tried to avoid going to his own mate's funeral, the fact he was _begging_ her not to make him go, or a mixture of both. The fact she had threatened to make him go to therapy definitely did _not_ factor into his decision to go.

When they'd gotten there he had immediately gone off to find a secluded room, not wanting to insult anybody there by seeming to be bored. That had failed when he'd though he'd found a secluded enough room to break down, not even five seconds passing before Kate had rushed in, kicking the door open to find him on the ground crying his eyes out.

"Hey, Lance, why are you in here for?" She asked as she crouched down next to him, the Todd unable to answer past the tears. "Come on, it's nothing to be ashamed of. Let's get you to the other room. The others are worried." She said, trying to lift him up. Lance pulled away, wanting nothing more than to just lie there. Kate growled in annoyance, gripping his shirt and lifting him up. "You listen here, you bastard! You are going to stand up, walk out there into the main room, and tell everybody that you got lost looking for the bathroom, and if they ask about the scream just say you cut yourself on accident or something! Do you understand me!?" She asked, Lance staring at her in shocked silence. He knew she could get rough, but this...this was something else.

"Yes ma'am. I apologize." He said as he gently stepped back, averting his gaze. Kate's expression softened.

"Apology accepted. I'm sorry for yelling." She said, Lance dipping his head.

"It's fine. I kinda deserved it." He said, shrugging lightly. "Let's go." He said, Kate nodding. They both walked out and back through the halls until they reached the main room, Lance sitting down off to the side as everybody looked at him. He smiled reassuringly and they all turned back to what they were doing.

A Red Fox Todd approached wearily, Lance tilting his head slightly in curiosity.

"Hey there." The older Todd greeted, Lance dipping his head in greeting before averting his gaze. Something told him he didn't want to talk to this particular mammal. "Shame what happened to my daughter, wouldn't you agree?" Ah, there it was, the reason he was itching to avoid the Todd prior.

"Yeah. Real shame." Lance agreed, the Todd frowning.

"You don't sound like you feel that way." He accused, Lance looking apologetic.

"Sorry, sir, it isn't anything against you or your daughter or anything. It's just how I'm wired." Lance said, the Todd nodding. "I was a good friend of your daughter, you know."

"Really? She never talked about any Todds at her job." The older Todd remarked, Lance blinking.

"Huh. Odd, considering the circumstances. Doesn't really seem like her." Lance said, inwardly feeling hurt that Laura hadn't seen fit to talk to her father about him in some way.

"Well, I mean, she _did_ one time, a few months back, but she's just changed the subject every time I brought it up after." The Todd ventured, Lance shrugging.

"Can't say I blame her. We got along pretty well, but I could be pretty crass when I wanted to." Lance said, eyes shifting to the left when he spotted Mike approaching...and he was unsteady. Must have had a drink or two...or three...or five in a separate room.

"Hey, Lance, who's this?" He asked, speech slurred, gesturing to Laura's father offhandedly.

"This is Laura's dad." Lance said, Mike blinking in surprise.

"Really? You tell him yet?" He asked, Lance closing his eyes with a groan as the Todd gained a look of confusion.

"I'm a bit lost. Can you explain?" He asked, Lance gesturing frantically for Mike to not say anything. It went unnoticed, however, and Mike opened his mouth.

"Oh yeah, my buddy Lance here and Laura were mates." He said casually, the older Todd locking up in shock. Everybody in range turned at the words, though they were mostly the Operators who had attended. The older Todd slowly turned to Lance.

"Is this true?" He asked, Lance glancing around briefly, eyes scanning all possible exits, and he stood.

"I have no obligation to answer such a question about the severity of mine and Laura's possible relationship." He said as he began to walk towards the door, the sound of a chair moving back as if pushed by a quick stand made him pause.

"Like hell you don't! I have a right to know how far my daughter may have gone with you!" Lance said nothing, only standing there. "At least tell me if she went peacefully, please."

"Laura died on top of a building overlooking an abandoned factory, her arms, legs, and neck all broken with her head twisted completely one eighty. She died needlessly, all because I asked her to join me in an investigation she had no business getting involved in." Lance answered, silence following his statements for a long moment before pawsteps approached him. He turned in curiosity, not expecting the hit that sent him reeling back and had everyone standing.

"Stand down. Let them settle this." Kate said, the Operators all glancing at her in surprise. They decided to trust her judgement and crossed their arms in the universal Operator signal they weren't getting involved. The Todd faced down Lance, who raised his paw to his jaw to feel it.

And that was what had Lance exiting the funeral parlor with an aching jaw and the need to hit something settled deep inside him. He turned right and began walking, his destination Precinct One.

When he arrived he simply walked right in, the Cheetah at the front desk, Clawhauser, looking surprised to see him.

"Who're you?" He asked, Lance blinking at the question.

"You remember that Operator that got assigned the gang war case?" He asked, the Cheetah nodding, though clearly confused as to Lance's point. "That's me."

"Oh! You know, I thought there was something familiar about you!" Clawhauser said, an expression of curiosity taking residence on his face and his eyes as he looked Lance over. "If I may ask without seeming rude, why are you here?" Lance laughed at that. He wasn't quite sure why, but he found the Cheetah's politeness funny for some reason.

"Nah, that's fine. I just need to spar with somebody and every other Operator is out.  
Lance answered as he turned and began walking towards the gym. "Can you see if Wilde is available?" Clawhauser gave an affirmative and Lance reached into his pocket and pulled out the carton of pocky, opening it and blinking when he saw it was empty.

 _'Oh, that's right. I gave Laura the last piece.'_ He thought, pausing in his steps as he stared at the empty container. He took a deep breath to control the sudden surge of emotions as he resumed walking, then promptly crushed the empty box and tossed it into a trashcan when he passed it.

Stepping into the gym made him pause momentarily when he saw Wolford and Fangmeyer, and it took him a moment to realize they were flirting. _Flirting_. He stared in surprise, blinking a few times as if it might go away with enough of them, when Fangmeyer's eye shifted and locked onto him, the Tigress standing from her casual and flirtatious leaning position. Wolford followed her gaze and grimaced when he saw him, Lance hesitating for a long moment before deciding to approach. He saw the pair of them tense up and he kept his expression blank, more to mess with them just because he felt like it than anything.

"Well, seems you actually _are_ a Todd. You must be, otherwise you wouldn't be here right now." Fangmeyer remarked, clearly using the name of a male Fox as a euphemism.

"Nadine, cut it out. He doesn't need it, not right now." Wolford said, both Lance and Fangmeyer blinking at him in shock.

"But, James, after what he did...!" She exclaimed, the Wolf sighing.

"I know. But still, I'd rather you just let it go for now. He's got enough on his mind as it is." Wolford said as he stared at Lance, the Todd freezing when he realized Wolford had recognized something about him he hadn't wanted known.

"You know." Lance said, Wolford shrugging.

"I recognize the look in your eyes. Same way I looked for a long time about a year ago, until I got ripped out of my funk by an angry Tigress that could make the most hardened criminal stain his or her pants." The Wolf said, Fangmeyer's eyes widening as it seemed to hit her why Wolford didn't want her insulting the Todd. She purred to hide it, though.

"Why James, I think that's the best compliment you've ever given me." She said, Lance arching an eyebrow.

"...Are you certain this isn't just Stockholm?" He asked skeptically, Wolford and Fangmeyer both laughing at that.

"Well would you look at that! The Operator _does_ have a sense of humor!" Fangmeyer said, like she couldn't believe the fact.

"Oh yeah. Got it in spades, if he hasn't changed that much." The three mammals looked to the door to see Nick leaning agains the frame, smirking his trademark smirk.

"Eh, it's only gotten better. Or so I like to think." Lance said, smiling lightly at his ex.

"So I heard Laura's funeral was today." Nick said, prompting a sigh from Lance.

"Yeah. Got into an argument with her father and had to leave, otherwise I would have stayed." Lance admitted, Fangmeyer averting her gaze.

"You said something, didn't you?" Nick asked, Lance blinking in shock at the accusation.

"...I told the truth." He answered after a moment, unable to keep looking Nick in the eye.

"Lance...what. Did. You. Say?" Nick asked, his tone more worried than angry.

"Her father asked if she died peacefully. I told him the truth, that she died on a rooftop with just about every bone in her body broken or dislocated and that she died needlessly because I asked her to join me when she had no business doing so in her state." Lance said, the three others staring at him in horrified shock.

"Wait, what state?" Fangmeyer asked, her curiosity getting the best of her.

"She was pregnant." Lance answered, looking right at Fangmeyer as he answered, his eyes void of emotion, even apathy. They were just voids, nothing else. He brightened almost immediately after, even cheerfully smiling as he turned to Nick. "Now, onto why I'm here. I'm stressed, and I need to hit something. What do you say?"

"I would, Lance, but right now you need something you won't break." Nick said, Lance blinking, his expression one of hurt.

 _'Does...does he really believe that?'_ He thought, Nick ignoring the look as he glanced at Fangmeyer.

"Well, Stripes? You up for a match?" He asked, the Tigress grinning.

"Oh yeah. I've been waiting." She answered, Lance lowering his gaze.

"On second thought, I should probably go. I just remembered I have to be somewhere important." He said, walking past Nick without a second glance. The Todd watched him leave in confusion, frowning in thought.

"Okay. Well, have fun, or something." He said softly, not quite understanding why he'd left like that. When he turned back around Wolford was glaring at him. "What?" He asked, the Wolf sighing and shaking his head, turning around to face Nadine pointedly. Nick sighed and turned, walking back out and towards his office. He had some paperwork to fill out.

Lance leaned against the wall of a building in full Operator apparel, minus the ZPD letters on his chest and back, when a familiar mammal entered his line of sight.

"Two of our enemies will be making their move tonight. They'll be striking a warehouse not too far from here. I want you to stop them by any means necessary." The female mammal, whose species he still couldn't identify due to the helmet hiding her head and ears and tail tucked under a coat, said.

"Are we talking two groups or two combatants?" Lance asked, examining his nails absentmindedly.

"Two combatants. Be warned, however, that these two are easily some of the best. One in particular has racked up over a hundred kills, easy, but the other is an unknown variable. Be careful." The female warned, Lance grinning beneath his mask.

"I'm an Operator, Capitan. They're the ones who should be careful." He said, turning and walking into the stairwell. The mystery mammal smiled beneath her helmet.

"Capitan." She said to herself, nodding approvingly. "I like it."

Lance stood in the shadows of a room in the warehouse that was scheduled to be hit, waiting patiently. The sounds of frenzied gunshots and screams of terror reached his ears after a few moments, the Todd grinning to himself. The door was kicked in after a few minutes and a mammal his size and a smaller one entered, looking around. The smaller one sighed in relief.

"We're done here. Let's go home." He said as Lance drew his right HK45, aiming it with a maniacal grin in place.

He fired.

 **And that does it for Chapter 33 of Zootopian Assassins! I do hope you guys liked this Mini-Arc because I had fun writing it. Haven't written three Chapters so fast in forever. I tried to show here that Lance has had some Character changes from last time, in that he may or may not be heading towards the slippery slope of insanity at escape velocity. I did purposefully make this a cliffhanger, yes, I'm not sorry at all. It just makes the suspense worse when I take until the end of next Chapter to show you what happens! Next Chapter features the return of both Savage Lumi as well as Sven. Hope you guys enjoy the bloodbath, because I sure will. I've decided this Arc will feature both Plot as well as Lance throughout the rest of it, both with his friendly side and his more or less Roberta from Black Lagoon side. Go watch Roberta's Blood Trail for the best example. Yeah...he can do that if he wanted to. Anyway, this is getting long enough, I will see you guys...next update. Word Count: 5,192We're done**


	35. Animals

**Hey guys Price here and welcome to Chapter 34 of Zootopian Assassins! I hope you guys have enjoyed the torturous wait and suspense that you people who had to wait to read have undoubtably felt. For the rest...I don't know, least you don't have to wait as long as the rest of them. But yeah, I do hope you guys enjoy this Chapter. As mentioned, Savage Lumi and Sven all make their return here, though Lumi has gone under a bit of training in the past week or so that has passed in the story since her and Is had to cancel on account of finding Lance there. Not a lot, but enough to at least have** ** _some_** **control when completely Reverted. The Chapter's title, Animals, should hopefully make sense to you guys. If not, I'll explain it at the end. I'm clearly taking liberties with some things in this Chapter, but the largest is Is' MPD. I don't know if it's possible for people with such a disorder to change at will, but it serves a function so it is here. Anyway, this is getting long enough, I think it's time to get...onto the story!**

Lumi stood on the roof across from the warehouse her and Is would be targeting, an excited grin on her muzzle as she stared at the entrance. She backed away from the edge for a moment and turned to her mate.

"Hey, Is, if it ain't too much to ask...I think we're gonna need to awaken the beast." She said, the Hare blinking in surprise.

"You think it'll be that bad?" Is asked, Lumi shrugging in response.

"I hope not, but it's a possibility. Better safe than sorry, ja?" She said, Is sighing in defeat.

"Very well." He said, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. There was silence for a long moment, Lumi watching with interest to see if Is could pull it off. After a long moment the Hare opened his eyes and looked around in confusion. "What? Where am I?" He asked, voice an octave lower, and Lumi grinned.

"Zootopia." Lumi answered, the Hare looking up at her in surprise before recognition settled.

"Ah, yes, Lumi. A pleasure to see you again." He said with a small smile, looking down at the outfit he wore. He blinked. "Um..what am I wearing?" He asked, Lumi huffing.

"I know you said you'd rather leave the life behind, but there's a reason we woke you up or however that works." Lumi said, the Hare nodding solemnly.

"And what do I get for doing this?" He asked, Lumi pausing to think. She hadn't been expecting that question. After a moment she grinned and bent over until her muzzle was only an inch or two away from his.

"How about a week? That sound good, Sven?" She suggested, the Hare grinning in response.

"I knew there was a reason both of us fell in love with you." He said as he reached up and gently cupped Lumi's head. He kissed her softly, then pulled away and walked past. He looked at the warehouse as Lumi straightened, rather pleased with herself, and turned to join him.

"We just got here, but we're fairly confident we can win. After all, we're both animals, aren't we?" Lumi said, Sven looking up at her.

"You a bit more so, but yes." He answered, Lumi rolling her eyes. "Let's do this." He said as he leapt forward. He landed on the light pole a few feet away and closer to the ground, leaning back and flipping as he fell, landing on his feet in a crouched position. Lumi jumped and fired her Rope Launcher, tapping the Hare on the shoulder when she landed. He looked up at her in questioning.

"Remember, you have a Razor Garrote as well as regular garrotes. Use them as you see fit." She said, Sven nodding to show he understood. They approached the door and Lumi gestured for him to take a few steps to the side. She pulled out four tiny pieces of C4 and stuck them to the corners of the door, stepping back and to the left as she raised the detonator.

"No stealth?" Sven asked, seemingly surprised.

"Once we get inside, yes. But just for a little while." Lumi answered, clicking the detonator. The door blew inwards and Lumi and Sven immediately rushed inside and to the sides to hide.

Not long after the sound of rushing pawsteps reached their ears, both mammals moving deeper into the shadows until the group came to a stop in their lines of sight. They looked around in confusion.

"Vhat zhe 'ell happened 'ere?" One of the mammals – Lumi thought the accent sounded French – asked, looking around. He recoiled slightly. "Hey, vhere did zat idiot Mak go? He asked, the group of mammals all turning. It took Lumi a moment to realize Sven had moved from where he had been. She silently raised a knife and positioned herself to dash forward when, with two flashes, two of the mammals fell clutching their throats.

"Oh, sh-" Lumi dashed forward and sunk the knife into the back of the speaking mammal's neck, twisting to the side, then ripping the blade free. The last mammal turned at the _thud_ of the body hitting the floor, meeting Lumi's gaze with terrified eyes. Sven appeared from behind him, seemingly out of nowhere, and the Razor Garrote went around his neck, but Sven wasn't done. He kept the Razor Garrote wrapped around his neck, but dropped down and wrapped the other end around his leg, then yanked on the handle. The mammals' head and leg came off with a small surge of blood.

"Two for the price of one." Lumi joked, eliciting a chuckle from Sven.

"Well, never let it be said you don't have a sense of humor." The Hare remarked, wrapping the Razor Garrote and turning to look deeper into the building. His ears swiveled for a moment, then stopped. "Three others incoming, twenty seconds. Stealth or loud?"

"Stealth. Let's not announce our presence just yet." Lumi said, Sven glancing at the door and arching an eyebrow. "You know what I mean."

"Very well. Hide." Sven said, quickly stepping into the shadows, Lumi moving right across from him. She drew a knife and waited as Sven held his Razor Garrote in a ready position.

The three mammals ran past and came to a stop when they found the bodies, one turning away and vomiting. The one closer to the door had his back to the two others and Lumi nodded to Sven, who sprang at the same time as her and wrapped the wire around the unlucky mammal's throat and pulled, decapitating them easily while Lumi stuck the knife to the hilt through the back of their neck. She wrenched the blade free and sheathed it as she drew her 1911. She was beginning to get bored with the stealth.

She pulled the trigger and the head of the mammal she had in her sights jerked as the bullet tore through their skull, exiting out the other side in a small explosion of blood and bits of bone and brain matter. She glanced at Sven to see him arch an eyebrow.

"Let's have some fun." She said, holstering the pistol and pulling the Atchisson Assault Shotgun from her back with a grin. She saw Sven eye the weapon in appreciation.

"This should be good." He remarked as they turned and made their way deeper into the building. It wasn't long before Lumi stopped and turned her head slightly.

"Door, five meters ahead, left side. Mammal on the other side." She whispered, Sven nodding. "Run ahead, then move to the side." She ordered, the Hare glancing at her briefly before doing as instructed. Lumi raised the AA-12 in a single paw as the door was opened quickly and a Wolf stepped out just as fast, facing Sven. Lumi fired off three slugs, one after the other. One took off the Wolf's left leg at the knee, the next punched through their upper back and out their chest, and the third demolished their head in an explosion of blood and gore. Lumi lowered the shotgun to a more comfortable grip as she walked past the body without giving it a second glance, Sven staring at it for a long moment before turning and following.

"That was unnecessary." He said, Lumi blinking in shock at the words.

"Unnecessary...?" She asked, Sven detecting her tone easily.

"You should have gone for a single shot to the head. Would have been more than enough." He answered, Lumi's lip twitching as a growl threatened to break free.

"I'll take that into consideration." She said, silence stretching for a long moment until Sven reached out and stopped her. Lumi blinked and looked down, having known that her mate was deceptively strong for his size, but never having seen just _how_ strong he actually was. Holding her down was believable, but stopping her in mid walk without his arm moving a millimeter?

"They're coming. Large group, heavy class." He announced, Lumi dipping her head. She raised the shotgun as Sven seemed to melt into the shadows, an impressive feat seeing as he was in a brown outfit instead of a more easily camouflaging color like dark blue or purple, or black in extremely dark cases. Lumi, on the other paw, stuck out in the narrow hallway, and she stuck out _badly_.

Feeling herself grow impatient, Lumi growled softly and listened intensely for the sound of pawsteps. When she realized they were a lot closer than originally thought, she threw caution to the wind and opened fire.

Metal slug after metal slug ripped through air and flesh alike as Lumi let loose. An arm fell from a Wolf who fell to the ground screeching in pain as they clutched the stump where the arm had once been connected, Lumi ignoring them to bleed out as she held down the trigger. A Tiger fell with half their head missing, the remaining eye hanging by a thread, and Lumi could only grin in perverse excitement. An Arctic Hare was blown apart, limbs flying in different directions, as a slug impacted their center mass. A Tanuki had their head obliterated by one of the heavy slugs, the body falling to the ground slowly, like the death had been so sudden it took a moment to process to the rest of the body.

When the drum was empty Lumi slung the shotgun and drew her sidearms, opening fire as soon as they were pointed at hind paw level. A grin split her muzzle as a touch of her Savage side appeared at the cries of pain from the various mammals as forty five caliber bullet after forty five caliber bullet punched through their bodies, leaving them either dead or dying as they bled out. The slides locked back and she reloaded, raising them to fire again when a brief flash indicated Sven had decided to take his turn.

Lumi holstered the pistols and moved forward with knives drawn, ducking under a swing from a Cheetah and slicing their paw off at the wrist. She went for the neck next, the force behind her swing, aided by her high strength, slicing through skin and bone alike and allowing her to spin about and kick it into the muzzle of a charging Wolf. They stumbled back and Sven wrapped his Razor Garrote around their leg, slicing it off easily as Lumi came forward and stabbed a knife into the Wolf's throat, ripping it open with a harsh wrench to the side.

Sven ducked under Lumi's arm and reached up, kicking off the ground and flipping backwards. His feet planted themselves onto Lumi's shoulders and he pushed off as hard as possible, flipping over a Tiger and decapitating them with his Razor Garrote. The Feline fell forward from the momentum of their approach and Lumi dodged to the side, then charged forward and took a punch to the side of her muzzle for her trouble. She spun with the impact, throwing one of her knives as she came about and gasping in shock when the mammal dodged it easily, charging towards her. She ducked under a punch and tried to slash their chest, the Coyote gripping her wrist and wrenching the knife free, tossing it away and throwing their knee into her gut. Lumi doubled over and took an elbow to the back of the skull, sending her to the ground coughing. She rolled over and avoided an attempted stomp, coming up quickly. She rolled under a claw swipe and found herself nearly tripping over Sven. They glanced at each other and Lumi saw he was fighting an Otter.

Sven leaned over as she leaned back, their arms interlocked, and she landed on the other side of him. She spun and sent a kick into the side of the Otter who had charged forward to take advantage of their brief distraction, Sven tripping up the Coyote as he tried the same thing. He moved over to the Otter and wrapped the Razor Garrote around their neck, decapitating them easily.

Lumi ducked under a swing from the Coyote, still holding onto one of her knives, and spun. She slammed the knife into his leg up to the hilt with a snarl, the Coyote yelping as he fell. Lumi pulled the knife free and leaned over the wounded Canine as she drew her Walther. She wrapped a paw around his neck, forcing him to open his mouth as he choked. She shoved the forty five caliber pistol into his maw, pulling the trigger. She let go of the dead Coyote's neck and holstered the sidearm, flicking her paw to get a small bit of viscera off.

"Let's go, Sven." She said, beginning to walk further into the building. She stopped when she didn't hear any pawsteps behind her, turning in curiosity. "Sven?" She repeated upon seeing him staring at her, tilting her head.

"Do you enjoy this, Lumi?" He asked, the Vixen's eyes widening in shock at the question. Of all the things she expected him to say, that had not even been approaching her list.

"I can not reliably answer such a question without an explanation." She answered after a moment, wanting to know quite clearly what he meant.

"Alright, let me put it this way: Why are you doing this?" Sven asked, Lumi pausing to think.

"Because I dedicated myself to this cause, and now I have an investment in this fight outside of the reason for the war in the first place." She answered, Sven remaining silent for a long moment as he considered her answer.

"You mean our daughter." He accused, Lumi nodding.

"Me and Is started doing this because we were curious. We knew what the job would eventually involve, but we didn't quite understand as much as we thought. I was ready to leave the brotherhood during our year in Bunny Burrow, but then...I suddenly had a reason to stay." Lumi said, smiling softly. It wasn't exactly a comforting smile, seeing as her eyes had long since turned to the Savage slits, but its intention was not lost, so Sven would give her points for trying. "I knew that the Templars wouldn't just stop, since they clearly knew who we were already, so I decided to do my best to defeat them as harshly as possible. If I'm cruel, it's because I want to make sure they get the message that I'm not stopping until me and my family is safe." She finished, Sven nodding to show he understood.

"I understand. Let's go." He said as he began walking, Lumi pausing as he passed her.

"Hold on." She said with a light growl of annoyance, approaching one of the bodies. She paused over it, watching it intently and hearing strained. With a growl she reached down and picked it up, the 'dead' mammal immediately coming to life and desperately flailing as it tried to get away. Lumi shifted her paws from the Kit Fox's shirt to their neck, a faint gasp escaping it at the sudden constriction. "Hello there, little lutka. You're going to tell me what I want to know, understand?" She asked, the Kit Fox nodding. "Good. Now, tell me, how many are left?" The Kit Fox tried to speak, but all that came out was a wheeze. Lumi released enough pressure to let her draw enough air in to answer her.

"There were at least thirty others that I know of, and..." The Kit Fox trailed off, looking worried for a brief moment. Lumi growled out some encouragement in the form of rather vividly described and violent threats. "And one mammal in particular, who I don't know. They're what our commander called a 'special forces' type, but he didn't seem like it. Too casual." She finished, Lumi remaining silent in an intimidating way as she stared into the smaller Fox's eyes for a long moment.

"Thank you. That will be all." Lumi said softly, in an almost friendly way as her expression softened. The Kit Fox relaxed visibly, relief the last expression she made as Lumi snapped her neck effortlessly. She dropped the body and turned, passing the clearly unnerved Sven in silence.

Sven's gaze lingered on the dead Kit Fox, a sadness he hadn't felt in a long time touching him. Her death had been unnecessary, but Lumi seemed to have decided otherwise. He approached and leaned over her, reaching down and closing her eyes gently.

"Vila i fred, dålig själ." He said softly, standing and turning away.

Lumi pulled the AA-12 from her back and the backup drum she kept in a pouch on her chest – she had no room on her sides or the small of her back – and placed the empty one into the pouch as she reloaded the shotgun and racked the lever on top to load a shell into the chamber. She slung it, wanting to save it for later if possible, and looked over her shoulder at Sven briefly.

"I'm sorry." She said, the Hare blinking in surprise. "I wish I didn't have to kill all of them. I _wish_ I could let some of them live. But I can't, because that leaves the Templars with more mammals to fight with later. It's all or nothing in this war, and that means we can't let anyone in our way live." She explained, Sven sighing softly.

"I understand, Lumi, but I don't like it. As an assassin you only kill your target; anybody else, like guards or police or military, are only to be engaged if no other options are available. All these deaths just seem to unnecessary to me." Sven said the last part softly with what seemed like regret. Lumi remained silent, however, as she moved forward with sidearms drawn and ready to be used.

They approached a door, Lumi moving to the right of the double doors and Sven moving to the left. Lumi holstered her sidearms and pulled a brick of C4 from the pouch at her hip, bringing the detonator out as well. Sven stepped to the center and kicked the doors open, moving aside quickly as gunfire erupted and bullets filled the hallway. A bullet _ping!_ 'ed off the metal door frame on Lumi's side and she reflexively ducked away.

After a long moment the gunfire lulled and Lumi wasted no time in throwing the brick into the room. She waited for all of two seconds before clicking the detonator, the resulting explosion making her teeth rattle in her head. She turned and ducked into the room, Sven right next to her, and she put the detonator away and pulled her sidearms free. She waited for the smoke to clear before blinking when she saw there was no mammal left standing in the room. She frowned, then realized some of them could have been alive and strode forward with purpose. She put a bullet into the head of every body save those that had no chance of being alive, just to be safe. When she was done she reloaded her sidearms and walked out of the room with Sven trailing behind her.

Sven paused when he noticed a shift in his mate, feeling both instinctual fear and common sense telling him to get away quickly. He ignored them, however, despite the red flags he was getting.

Lumi stopped mid step and stayed that way for a moment before holstering her sidearms and taking a deep breath.

"Next group, I got them." She said, Sven nodding his consent as she resumed walking.

"That's fine by me. Show me what a Reversion looks like." The European Hare responded, Lumi grinning at the words.

"Will do. Enjoy yourself." She said as they came upon another door, Lumi's ears twitching towards it and the leucistic Arctic Fox pausing. Her grin broadened at the sound of terrified whimpers.

Lumi kicked the door open harshly and made the Leopard inside jump as they shrieked in fear. Lumi spread her arms out slightly as she approached, grin still in place. The Leopard back against the wall, eyes wide in terror. Lumi paused only two feet away, then surged forward suddenly and wrapped her jaws around the Feline's throat. A scream gave way to a gurgle as Lumi ripped her head back violently, tearing out the Leopard's throat in a shower of blood. The trachea was shredded and Lumi spat the flesh out with some effort, the urge to swallow and continue almost overpowering her. She shut her eyes and shook her head, and when her eyes opened they were back to the friendly and inviting round pupil shape they tended to be. Lumi turned and made to walk out only to see Sven watching with mild interest, the Hare tilting his head as he stared at the dead Leopard.

"When you called it a Reversion, you were not joking." He remarked, Lumi nodding absentmindedly. Sven caught on immediately. "Is something wrong?" He asked, concern in his voice.

"I...no. Nothing to worry about at the moment." Lumi answered, Sven glancing at the Leopard, then back to Lumi.

"It isn't easy, is it?" He asked, Lumi blinking. She sighed.

"No. It's difficult, but it's also cathartic to an insane degree." She said, Sven nodding slowly.

"Let's finish this." He said after a moment, Lumi letting out a small huff.

"Thought you'd never say it." Lumi said. With that, Sven turned and walked out with Lumi right behind him. They turned right, further into the building, and walked until they came across another set of double doors. Lumi glanced at Sven, the Hare doing the same thing. They both nodded in agreement, Lumi pulling the AA-12 from her back with a small grin. Her pupils constricted slightly; not quite Savage, but not quite normal either.

Lumi kicked open the door, raising the shotgun quickly and trigger almost to firing position. She paused when she found nobody on the other side, finding it odd. There were supposed to be at least ten more mammals around, if her counting had been correct.

"There's no one here." Sven remarked, Lumi lowering the shotgun with a suspicious "hm".

"Unless I've counted wrong, there should be at least ten others around, not counting the special mammal the Kit Fox mentioned. They must be hiding." Lumi said, a frown on her muzzle as she paused to consider their next move.

"We should just leave them and go after the other. It'll save time, especially if our target is with them." Sven suggested, Lumi opening her mouth to say something. She paused, seemingly in consideration.

"Our target was the Kit Fox." She said after a moment, averting her gaze as Sven turned to her.

"Excuse me?" He said, tilting his head slightly.

"Our target has already been neutralized." She answered, keeping her gaze averted.

"Look at me." Sven said, Lumi glancing at him before averting her gaze again. "Lumi!" Sven shouted, the Vixen snapping her gaze to him. "Are you telling me that the last twenty or so kills have been needless? That we could have spared them by leaving when the job was over?"

"Yes." Lumi answered after a moment, Sven leaning back slightly as he seemed to consider the words and his response.

"We will discuss this later." He began, his voice full of anger and regret. "I suppose we may as well finish this, since we're likely already close." He said after a few moments. Lumi did not like his tone.

"Very well." She said softly, eyes lowering to the ground as they began walking towards the door at the other side of the room. Lumi kicked open the door and walked in, Sven behind her, and he sighed in relief after a few moments.

"We're done here. Let's go home." He said, moving to walk out. His ear twitched and he ducked reflexively, a shot ringing out. The bullet struck the concrete wall a few feet past him, the Hare turning quickly. He leaped to the side as Lumi ran the other way and leaped into a roll behind a stack of crates. Sven hoped the crates had something durable inside them, otherwise they wouldn't do his mate any good.

Lumi watched as Sven rolled behind a metal pipe and she mentally cursed herself for going behind something that would do her no good if they were empty or had anything short of giant metal blocks inside them. As more shots rang out, Lumi's ear twitched when she heard pinging behind her. She rolled her eyes as realization hit her.

"Who bulletproofs a _crate_!?" She shouted, looking over to Sven. He shrugged as best he could in his position. Lumi shook her head and pulled away from the crate, pulling her AA-12 from her back. She made to pop out, though bullets hitting the concrete next to her feet as soon as she did had her rethinking that idea.

"Come on out, Assassins! If you surrender and give me what I want, I promise to make it quick!" A voice shouted, Lumi chancing at Sven with sarcasm in her eyes.

"Alright! We're coming out!" The Hare shouted, Lumi blinking. The firing ceased and Sven stood slowly with his paws raised, Lumi growling in annoyance as she slung the shotgun behind her and did the same. There was no way out of this as far as she could see, so she _really_ hoped Sven had a plan. They stopped ten feet away from where the gunfire had come from, Lumi only able to make out an outline.

"Alright, real quick before you start asking us things, can I ask you just one thing?" Lumi asked, the mystery mammal remaining silent for a long moment.

"Go ahead." They said, Lumi nodding gratefully.

"Thank you. Anyway, what I wanted to ask was this: Can you tell me who thinks it's a smart idea to bulletproof a crate?" She asked, Sven rolling his eyes.

"You are not going to let that go, are you?" He asked the Vixen, Lumi glaring.

"It just doesn't make sense! It's eating me alive just thinking about it!" She defended, a chuckle escaping the mystery mammal.

"Well, I can't say it isn't a weird idea, but it certainly seems to have served its purpose, would you not agree, Vixen?" They asked, Lumi shrugging.

"I suppose so. Still weird though." She remarked.

"Quite." The mystery mammal agreed, taking a step towards them and gesturing with the barrel of the sidearm in their paw for Lumi and Sven to back up. "Now, I have a _very_ important question for you, and the answer will decide whether you live or die. Do you understand me?" They asked, Lumi having to keep herself from gasping when she recognized the mammal's outfit. It was the same as the one from the warehouse, only without the white ZPD lettering.

"Is that the question?" Sven asked smartly, the mammal glancing at him.

"Funny, but no." They answered, moving their gaze back to Lumi. "I want to know who killed my...a friend of mine." He said, Lumi and Sven exchanging a glance.

"We're gonna need a bit more info than that." Sven said, the mammal sighing.

"Red Fox Vixen, later twenties, a rooftop overlooking a warehouse. Who killed her?" He asked, Lumi blinking.

"I'm sorry, but we don't know who you're talking about. If she wasn't a Templar we would have no reason to go after her." Lumi answered, her tone one of slight confusion. The mammal stared into her eyes for an unnervingly long amount of time, then stepped forward and put the gun barrel to her forehead.

"Why should I believe you?" He asked softly, his tone creepily different than what he seemed about to do. His grip of the trigger tightened.

"Wait!"

A shot rang out.

 **And that does it for Chapter 34 of Zootopian Assassins! Another cliffhanger here, not sorry, but I was approaching a 'this is getting too long' moment so I had to end it with** ** _some_** **kind of interest. I got some really good suggestions for themes for this Arc, which I've decided to call the Revenge Arc, since it focuses on Lance seeking revenge for Laura's death. It will feature a few more flashbacks to add further depth to their relationship and, if you guys want me to, I'll write a Oneshot focused on their night at the hotel. The recommended themes for the 'aggression' aspect of this Arc are Bad Company by Five Finger Death Punch and Hard To See, also by FFDP. They fit really well with the character development for Lance and the eventual ending to how it plays out, which I want to make at least a little emotional to show you just how far Lance has fallen from what he was once, which the flashbacks will be intended as contrast for. Anyway, this is getting long enough, I'll see you guys...next update. Word Count: 5,106**


	36. Outcome and Date

**Hey guys Price here and welcome to Chapter 35 of Zootopian Assassins! I hope you guys have been looking forward to this Chapter because I sure have. I am glad I'm half way done with this Arc only the Friday after Chapter 31 would have gone up without the hiatus, because it means I can continue uploading sooner than I feared I would be able to. I** **hope I get to upload soon, which I may do anyway since I'm far enough ahead to be okay, even if I'm not as far as I would like at the time of writing this. Enough of that, though, this Chapter will continue where the last left off, then cut to a few months later to better keep with the time frame for each Arc to take place over the course of a year. Each Chapter from now until Chapter 40 will include flashbacks to Lance and Laura's relationship, both as an excuse to let me write relatively new Characters, but also so I can make the ending of the Arc all the more jarring. Anyway, this is getting long enough, I think it's time to get...onto the story!**

"Wait!" Sven cried out in horror as the mystery mammal tightened their grip on the trigger. A gunshot rang out and the pistol seemed to detonate. Shrapnel flew in every direction and both Lumi and the mystery mammal turned away to prevent getting any in their eyes as they stumbled back. Sven turned to the left as the windows shattered inward, four familiar shapes coming through them.

Perseus, Daedalus, Nick, and Judy all rolled when they hit the ground, coming up in combat ready positions. Daedalus had his Bearetta 1301 Tactical Shotgun out and pointed at the mystery mammal, Perseus had a KRISS Vector .45 ACP submachine gun with a laser sight, Nick had his Phantom Blade, and Judy had her Short Sword ready.

The mystery mammal took one look at the different weapons and sighed. His paw flashed out and caught Lumi across the muzzle and he used the distraction to grab her by the outfit and fling her towards the group. They reflexively took a step back and he immediately ran for the door. Perseus recovered quickly and lead him slightly, then pulled the trigger. The mammal faltered slightly, landing on his paws and knees, then quickly stood and continued with a noticeable limp as he made it through the door. Perseus cursed in anger, then slung the weapon.

"I'll go after him." He said, moving to step forward. Nick put an arm on his shoulder, stopping him.

"I got this. You help Judy get Lumi and Is out." He said, the Hare looking up at him briefly.

"Sven." He said, Nick blinking.

"Sorry." Nick apologized, Sven dipping his head in acceptance of the apology. Nick turned and followed the mystery mammal as the others went to working on their assigned tasks.

Nick stepped through the door and followed the sounds of scuffing as the mammal limped away, having a pretty good guess as to who it may be. He caught up relatively quickly, the mammal reduced to dragging himself desperately and clearly already woozy from blood loss. He rolled over to face Nick.

"Come on, Assassin. Just get it over with. I'm done." He said weakly, Nick crouching down in front of him.

"Sorry, but no you aren't. You've lost a lot of blood because the bullet nicked one of many arteries, but a simple pressure wrap will keep you alive for long enough, hopefully." Nick said, voice filter on, as he reached behind him and pulled a small roll of gauze out of a pouch. He wrapped quickly and tightly, the other mammal hissing in pain and clenching their teeth, but they didn't yelp or shout, which Nick was grateful for. Tying it off, Nick inspected his handiwork briefly. "Alright, up you get. We're leaving." He said, the other mammal visibly tensing.

"Why are you doing this? Why save me when I almost killed one of your own?" He asked, Nick shaking his head.

"Because you aren't a Templar, not really. You joined out of some misguided sense of justice, but you don't actually share their ideals or anything like that. I like to imagine that means you're salvageable." Nick answered, the mammal blinking behind the mask.

"Very well. But I still want answers." He said, extending his paw. Nick took it and pulled him up, draping his arm over his shoulder to help him walk.

"I'll be sure to answer them to the best of my ability, but I assure you your anger is being misdirected. We did not kill the mammal you want revenge for, I promise you that." Nick responded, the other mammal remaining silent for a long moment.

"And if one of you did?" He asked after a moment, Nick not even having to think about his answer.

"Then they will have murdered an innocent mammal and will be dealt with. I must ask you to give up on your quest, at least for a little while, while we investigate our ranks. If we find out it was not anybody in the Brotherhood, we'll get word to you, I assure you." Nick answered, the other mammal nodding in acceptance of the answer. He hesitated, then extended his other paw towards him.

"Lance Whitney, Operator Team One, ZPD." He said, Nick shaking his paw politely.

"Yes, I know who you are." He said, Lance blinking behind the mask. "I keep tabs on all those involved in the case of the Brotherhood and Templars, even those the mammals in charge would rather not talk about." He explained, Lance letting out a small "hm" in what sounded like a cross between amusement and curiosity.

"You know, you seem familiar." He said after a moment, Nick shrugging.

"Lots of Foxes in Zootopia, if you know where to look." Nick responded as they stepped back through the door, having to turn sideways due to being a single wide frame.

"Yeah, I suppose that's true." Lance agreed, though it was obvious he was still slightly suspicious. Nick saw the others were gone, and he detected the faintest hint of sirens. He silently wondered what had taken them so long to respond.

"Listen, Operator Whitney, I want you to tell them you were investigating this place and snuck in. Tell them you were attacked by Templars and shot when you got caught in a crossfire between them and an unknown assailant, and that you hobbled your way into here and hid. If they ask about the window, tell them that the assailant brought a mammal in here and left with them through it. Do you understand?" Nick said, Lance nodding.

"Yes, I understand. I suppose I should thank you." He said, Nick shrugging.

"Maybe, but I'm only doing what's right." He said as he gently leaned Lance against the wall, the Todd letting out a huff as he did so.

"See you around, Assassin." He said in farewell, Nick dipping his head in agreement before turning and firing his Rope Launcher, climbing through the window. Lance waited for a moment, then tapped the 'end' button on his phone's video recording app. He wanted to debug the mammal's voice.

When the officers entered and found Lance, he told them the story the Assassin had given him, the cops bought it and they helped him outside and called an ambulance. When that arrived, he was loaded aboard and immediately taken to the hospital. When they arrived and he saw Bogo waiting at the entrance, he knew it was going to be a fun few weeks before he recovered.

Almost an hour later found Lance laying in a hospital bed with his gear laying in the one chair inside the room, the Todd himself dressed in the standard hospital garb. He kept the blanket over himself, though, knowing all it had to do was get pushed up a bit to expose him, and he _really_ didn't want that to happen.

The door opened and his ears perked up in excitement involuntarily when Nick stepped through, his expression one of worry.

"Lance, what happened? Bogo called me and said you got shot." He said, his voice full of panic, and Lance felt a small smile touch his muzzle.

"Almost...what, ten years? Yeah, almost ten years and you still worry about me like we're a couple." Lance joked, drawing a small smile from Nick at the words.

"Well, you were my first. Plus we're friends, of course I'm gonna worry." He said, Lance chuckling lightly.

"Speaking of friends, where's Judy? I'd have figured you two would be stuck at the hip." He joked, Nick, as well as Lance after a few seconds, flushing at the accidental innuendo. "Er, you know, figuratively. Not...you know." He added, coughing awkwardly.

"Right. But Judy was asleep and I didn't feel like waking her up, so I left her a little note." Nick said, pausing as he seemed to realize something. "Wow, does love always make me cheesy?"

"Right now you're two for two, so I think it's safe to say 'yes'." Lance answered, chuckling.

"Wow, and you put up with that?" Nick asked, his tone and expression one of incredulity.

"Hey, I have patience!" Lance complained, Nick snorting.

"Yeah, sure, and I've never done anything shady." Nick retorted, Lance blinking.

"Nick, that isn't fair. You did what you had to do." Lance said softly, Nick tilting his head.

"I'm not demeaning myself, Lance." He said, the younger Todd blinking.

"Heh, sorry. I'm a bit used to it." He apologized nervously, Nick rolling his eyes affectionately.

"It's fine." He said, chuckling. "But, back to my original question, what happened?" He asked, Lance pretending to think back.

"Well, I was investigating this abandoned building as part of that gang war case, and there was a fight. I ended up getting caught in the crossfire and I got shot in the leg. That's pretty much it." He answered, pausing briefly. "Well, I did give one of the mammals something to remember me by, if they were still alive, but nothing much of mention really happened." He added, shrugging slightly.

"'Nothing much of mention'? Lance, you got shot in an area with a _lot_ of blood vessels! You could have bled out before the cops even got there!" Nick said angrily, Lance blinking in surprise. It wasn't like Nick to get so angry over something like this. "Lance, you need to stop and _think_ for a moment! If Laura was still alive, what would she say about what you're doing for something so _stupid_ as getting revenge when you don't even know who did it to begin with!? What about your friends? Have you stopped to consider how your fellow Operators would feel if you died doing something stupid? What about how I would feel, huh?" Nick asked, Lance unable to speak for a long moment.

"I haven't thought about it, you're right. But not because I'm so driven that nothing else matters! I haven't thought about it because I know I wouldn't be able to do what I need to if I did!" He finally answered, and this time it was Nick's turn to be shocked into silence. Lance reached for his uniform, then growled in annoyance when it remained out of reach. "Can you hand me my phone real quick?" He asked, anger fizzing out to awkwardness.

"Okay." Nick said softly, rooting into the uniform for a brief moment before finding it. He handed it to Lance, the Todd awkwardly nodding in thanks. He turned it on, tapped a few things, then set it down. A garbled, almost robotic voice began to speak.

" _I keep tabs on all those involved in the case of the Brotherhood and Templars, even those the mammals in charge would rather not talk about."_ Nick stiffened ever so slightly, but Lance picked his phone back up and tapped a few more things.

"I ever tell you that an Operator's phone has several decoding and debugging features? It even has a voice de-filterer." He said cheerfully, the audio kicking up again, though this time it was clearly Nick's voice.

" _I keep tabs on all those involved in the case of the Brotherhood and Templars, even those the mammals in charge would rather not talk about."_ Lance stared smugly at Nick, the older Todd averting his gaze.

"How long, Nick?" He asked, his tone carrying more disappointment than anything.

"I've been active for just about four years now." He reluctantly answered, Lance leaning his head back and closing his eyes.

"Do you trust your Brothers and Sisters?" He asked, Nick blinking.

"Of course I do. I trust them just as much as, if not more than, I do the Boys and Girls in Blue. I have to, because that could be the difference between dying or not." He answered, Lance sighing as he nodded.

"Alright." He said softly, shaking his head softly to himself. "I need to process this." He said, Nick taking that as his cue and turning to walk out. He paused at the door.

"Even if you don't want to hear it, I _am_ sorry about what happened to Laura. She didn't deserve it." He said, Lance ignoring the words. Nick walked out, shutting the door softly behind him.

Lance lay in the bed for a long while, just staring at the ceiling. Eventually, his mind began to wander and he found himself thinking back to his and Laura's first actual date. Technically.

It was more an accidental meet up than anything, but he counted it.

 _December 20_ _th_ _, 2018_

Lance sat inside a Culver's ice cream parlor sipping on a chocolate milkshake. It was technically false chocolate, so as to be safely consumed by species that couldn't normally ingest the real stuff, but that was a technicality and those weren't things Lance really bothered with unless necessary.

The door bell chimed and he looked up from his phone curiously, blinking in surprise when he saw Laura. He hadn't expected to see her here. When it became clear she hadn't seen him he went back to his phone, scrolling through his downloaded images. He had a lot of memes.

He snorted at a particularly funny caption, having to bite his lip to an almost painful degree to keep from laughing. Approaching pawsteps made him look up, wondering if he'd attracted a server. He smiled softly when Laura sat down across from him, glancing at his phone briefly. He turned it.

Laura's eyes widened when she saw the image, opening her mouth in shock.

"Oh that is just awful. No, really, that is horrible." She said, Lance chuckling. "Really? 'New studies have indicated that if you are feeling down or depressed, playing Russian roulette has a one in six chance of curing your depression'?" She asked, Lance unable to keep himself from laughing quietly.

"I'm sorry, Laura, but I have a weird sense of humor. I love me some black comedy." He defended, the Vixen shaking her head in exasperation.

"God, and to think I decided to be your mate." She muttered, Lance chuckling in a way that ended with him snorting again. That made Laura laugh, and Lance smiled at that.

"Hey, didn't hear you complaining last week." He joked, Laura flushing as she playfully slapped his paw.

"Lance, not in public. Kits could hear you." She said quietly, Lance chuckling at her embarrassment.

"What's wrong, Laura? Not like they'd really understand." He said, the Vixen scoffing.

"Oh, you did that voice again." She said quietly, Lance almost not catching it. He grinned.

"Oh? What voice is that?" He asked playfully, Laura noticeably blushing, though it was faint.

"That 'I'm thinking dirty thoughts' voice. Your voice gets a touch of a rather...distracting accent." Laura answered, Lance arching an eyebrow.

"Accent? You mean...this accent?" He asked, voice touching a bit of a Romanian accent. It wasn't the best attempt, but he was still learning, so he would get better. Laura shivered ever so slightly.

"What _is_ that?" She asked quietly, leaning forward ever so slightly.

"It's a rather poor attempt at a Romanian accent. I'm still learning." Lance answered, Laura huffing in disbelief.

"Please, do get better. I could get used to hearing that accent." She mumbled, Lance chuckling at the words.

"If I may ask, what brings you here? Never thought you liked Culver's." Lance inquired, Laura shrugging.

"I like their chicken tenders...even if it isn't actually chicken." Laura answered, Lance arching an eyebrow.

"Oh it isn't?" He asked, Laura blinking.

"Is it?" She hesitantly asked, Lance keeping his eyebrow arched for a long, uncomfortable moment before grinning.

"Nah. They ain't got the right permits. Unfortunately." He said, muttering the last part quietly. Laura blinked.

"Have you tried actual chicken?" The Vixen asked, Lance nodding.

"Yep. Like it deep fried. ZFC was amazing before they had to shut down due to that whole...thing." He said, referencing the company's rather uncomfortable scandal. Nobody liked talking about it all that much, especially the Predators.

"Right. That thing." Laura agreed, taking a deep breath. "So, when you're done, what do you say we go a little somewhere special?" She asked, Lance arching an eyebrow.

"What do you have in mind?" He asked, Laura grinning that 'you'll love it, don't worry' grin of hers. "Alright. I like pleasant surprises."

"Don't worry. You will have the time of your life." Laura said, Lance smiling slyly.

"I have been for the past month." He said, Laura flushing at the words.

"Flattery will get you...everywhere. With the right wording." She responded, Lance catching the meaning.

"Perhaps I should...just talk like this for the rest of the day?" He asked, Romanian accent back in play. Laura shivered again.

"Yeah...that's nice." She said quietly, Lance grinning. His nose twitched and he blinked, Laura's eyes widening.

"It would seem your body agrees with your mind in that aspect, lubirea mea." He said with a grin and another light touch on the accent, Laura placing her head on the table and lightly banging it on the surface.

 _Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump._

"Okay...maybe save the accent for private time." She suggested, Lance chuckling.

"Sure thing." He said, glancing to his right. "Pack, to the right. They're trying not to notice." He added, Laura's head snapping up and turning to the right. A Wolf glanced over, saw her staring, and immediately turned away.

"I hate you so much." She muttered.

"Well, perhaps I'll just have to show you why you love me, eh, dragostea?" He asked, Laura looking up in confusion.

"I just realized, but did you literally call me 'my love' and 'love' in Romanian?" She asked, prompting a quiet laugh from Lance.

"I did indeed, prietenul meu." Lance answered, Laura smiling at the answer.

"Alright then, let's see if you can place this." She challenged, Lance's ears perking up. "Ik hou van je." She said, Lance pausing to think. He chuckled after a moment.

"Love you too." He said, Laura growling lightly.

"How do you know so many languages?" She asked, clearly amazed.

"Nick was a polyglot." Lance answered, Laura tilting her head.

"Who?" She asked, Lance picking up his phone and typing away for a brief moment before turning it to show her. "Wait, your ex is Nick Wilde?" She asked, looking shocked at the revelation.

"Yep." Lance answered, closing the Zoogle app and turning off his phone. "Haven't had the chance to talk to him for a few years, though. He disappeared soon after we split, and I couldn't find him. I tried, though, _god_ did I try. I don't even know if he'd recognize me anymore." He added, voice taking on a bit of a somber note. "But, enough about my ex. Did you not order food?" He asked, Laura blinking.

"Well, I was gonna, then I saw you and decided I'd eat later. Where I have in mind serves better food anyway." She answered, Lance frowning.

"Are you sure?" He asked, Laura nodding.

"Yeah, I'll be fine. The next thing starts soon anyway." She answered, Lance arching an eyebrow. "Don't worry, you'll have fun." She reassured, Lance growling playfully.

"Alright. I'm about done anyway, so I'll just pay real quick and we can go." He said, flagging down a server and asking for the check. The server nodded and walked off, coming back after a few moments and placing it down. Lance paid, then stood. "Shall we go, iubirea vieții mele?" He asked, Laura blinking at the question, then flushing.

"You are just determined to flirt me to death, aren't you?" She asked, Lance chuckling.

"Something like that." The Todd answered, Laura laughing.

"Alright, let's go. I look forward to seeing how you react to this." She said as she stood, Lance following her with a quick farewell wave to the mammal at the bar.

They walked for about thirty minutes before stopping outside a building, Lance arching an eyebrow at the sign.

"An arcade?" He asked, slightly confused as to why Laura would bring him here.

"Yep. Favorite place when I was younger. They've since updated, but it's just as fun, if not more." She answered as she pushed open the door, gesturing for Lance to follow. He did so, his curiosity piqued.

The Gray Fox at the counter looked up briefly as the door chimed before doing a double take. He smiled warmly at seeing Laura, Lance feeling a strong surge of jealousy at the way he smiled at her. He held it down, however, reasoning they were likely just old friends.

"Laura!" He said with a slight German accent, the Vixen in question smiling.

"Hey there, Adalwolf! How are things going lately?" She asked, leaning against the counter. Lance joined her, his expression a guarded one with a slight amount of hostility. Not enough to cause any mental alarms in the other Todd, but enough to be noticeable.

"Eh, fine. Kinda slow, even with all the new stuff, but relatively smoothly." Adalwolf answered, glancing at Lance. "So, who's the grouch?" He asked in a whisper, Lance stifling a growl.

"Oh, right. Adalwolf, this is Lance, my mate. Lance, this is Adalwolf. He's run the place since I was a kit." She said, joyful expression faltering at Lance's expression. "Lance, stop, it's fine. There's no need for jealousy." She admonished, Lance sighing.

"Sorry. My mistake." He said softly, Adalwolf chuckling.

"Hey, no hard feelings. By the look of things you only got together recently, so it's natural to be possessive at this stage. Trust me, I've been there a few times." He said, smile never leaving his muzzle.

"Right, anyway, I thought I'd stop by, show Lance the new toys." Laura said, Adalwolf blinking before the smile returned in full force.

"Alright. Try not to break anything." He said as he pushed off from the counter. "It's on the right, as always, once you go in. Have fun you two?" He said as Laura nodded and turned, walking through the entrance and leaving a confused Lance.

"Don't we have to pay?" He asked, Adalwolf chuckling at the question.

"Anybody with Laura gets in free. She hates it, but this is the best way I can repay her for all she's done in the past. Don't sweat it." He answered, Lance hesitating. He fished around in his pocket for a moment, then pulled a bill out. He set it down.

"Consider it a gift from one Fox to another." He said, turning and walking after Laura. Adalwolf sputtered when he picked it up.

"Hey, I can't accept this!" He said, Lance turning and tilting his head.

"Why not?" He asked, the Gray Fox opening his muzzle, then closing it after a moment. "Thought so." He said as he turned and continued, finding Laura waiting just around the corner.

"What did you do?" She asked, Lance shrugging.

"Well, it seemed rude, and I hate to be rude." He answered, Laura arching an eyebrow.

"Didn't you threaten to make Mike's corpse unidentifiable when you thought he took that photo of us?" The Vixen asked, Lance chuckling.

"Semantics." He said.

"Not even close, dragostea." Laura remarked, Lance rolling his eyes.

"Right, well, you know what I meant." He said. "So, what're we doing here, exactly?" He asked, Laura grinning in response.

"Well, you know that new virtual reality stuff, and how they've been making some big advancements in simulating full environments?" When Lance nodded, she continued. " _Well..._ " She turned, Lance following her gaze and coming to a stop at what he saw.

"No way." He said, staring at the row of different booths for different kinds of virtual reality games. Laura began to walk down the row, looking around thoughtfully before seeming to find the right one. She waved him over.

"This right here is a combat and sparring simulator. You know, for those who want to train but don't want all the nasty wounds and pain involved in the actual thing." She said, Lance looking the small booth over.

"You know, when I think of an arcade I imagine pacmammal or air hockey or something, not full on virtual reality stuff." He looked around. "Wow, they even have an adult section. They're committed, at least." He remarked, tilting his head.

"Remind me to keep an eye on you in here." Laura said, Lance glaring at her playfully.

"Laura, just because I happen to notice a giant neon sign that says 'Adult VR' does not mean I am a pervert. You literally can't miss it." He said, gesturing to said giant neon sign.

"You realize I was joking, right?" Laura asked, Lance huffing.

"Yes, of course I did. Obviously you have a great display of humor on your face." He remarked dryly, Laura rolling her eyes.

"Oh great, you're a smarty as well." She commented, both of them chuckling.

"You know, now that you mention it, that must have been why my teachers didn't really like me. You know, aside from me being a Fox and all." Lance joked even as he looked over the VR booth.

"Huh, can't imagine why they wouldn't like you. You're a good mammal." He froze at the words, more out of surprise than anything, and he smiled.

"I suppose that depends on your definition of 'good', but I'm certainly not the worst kind of mammal, so I've got that going for me." He said, Laura smiling softly.

"You just put the helmet on, Lance. It isn't that complicated." She said, Lance turning to her.

"I know. I was just looking it over." He said as he sat down, Laura sitting next to him. "This should be fun. Never done virtual reality before." Almost an hour later had Lance eating those first four words.

Lance stumbled as he stood from the booth, feeling incredibly dizzy from the feeling that moving his virtual body without moving yourself gave off. He fell.

"You having fun there, Lance?" Laura asked as he stared at him.

"I never want to do that again. I feel way too weird, and I am not comfortable." He answered.

"Probably because your butt is sticking in the air and your head is raised up too high by the platform." Laura remarked, Lance remaining silent for a few seconds.

"...Yeah, that would do it." He said as he slowly pushed himself up. "Admit it, though, you liked the angle."

"Yeah, it wasn't bad." Laura said.

"Hey, I have an excellent butt!" He defended in playful annoyance, Laura snorting at that. "I would have some kind of reverse harem if I was literally anything but a Fox, I'm telling you. Everybody just loves it."

"Well, it _is_ pretty nice, I'll admit." Laura said, tilting her head as Lance made a show of stretching, including reaching down and touching his toes. He yelped and shot straight up and we felt a rather familiar feeling. He turned.

"Did you just grope my butt?" He asked, Laura staring him in the eyes.

"Yes." She answered, Lance blinking.

"Well at least you're honest." He remarked, earning himself a chuckle. That trailed off when Laura took a step closer.

"However...that's not what I'd rather be groping, if you know what I mean." She said softly, Lance flushing at the words.

"Well, I suppose we should get to Home, then. I hear the others like to go out around this time." He said, Laura grinning in response.

"Lucky us." She remarked as she turned and made a rather fine show of walking away. Lance took a deep breath.

"I am going to die of bad circulation if she keeps this up." He remarked quietly. "And it will be a glorious death." He followed his mate.

 **And that does it for Chapter 35 of Zootopian Assassins! I hope you guys enjoyed this Chapter, because I certainly did. So, now Lance knows about Nick's little secret, the only question is what he'll do with it. Will he make it known, or will he keep the secret? I guess you will have to wait to find out as the Revenge Arc goes on, won't you? I plan for this to end with a Roberta's Blood Trail style rampage on Lance's part, though I may change the ending of the rampage for Lance. Seriously, Roberta got lucky she only lost an eye, an arm, a leg, and two fingers, at least in the OVAs. Lance, on the other hand...well, I guess we'll see, won't we? Anyway, this is getting long enough, I will see you guys...next update. Word Count: 5,081**


	37. Anniversary

**Hey guys Price here and welcome to Chapter 36 of Zootopian Assassins! I hope you guys enjoyed the Chapters so far, because I know that I sure am! The last two or so Chapters will be Lance's rampage against Laura's killers, whereas the rest of these three Chapters until then will mainly feature flashbacks set to build up their relationship better. I hope you guys like it, because it will certainly be quite fun. If you've seen Roberta's Blood Trail, you should know what to expect, at least partially. I'm not too sure about keeping the ending the same. This is important to the plot because it will be a major motivation for Nick to end the fight as fast as possible in the final Arc which, coincidentally, is the next one. Anyway, that's enough of that, I think it's time to get...onto the story!**

Lance sighed at the memory, a smile on his muzzle that quickly disappeared when the door opened and Kate Wu, Commander of Operator Team One, stepped in.

"Lance, are you okay? What happened?" She asked, her worry bordering on a complete breakdown. She always did care too much for those under her command.

"I'm fine, mostly. As for what happened...nothing. It doesn't matter much." He answered easily, Kate detecting his tone and nodding in acceptance as she moved to stand beside his bed.

"Alright. If I may ask, did it have to do with that investigation?" She asked, Lance averting his gaze. Kate sighed. "Alright. I'm having you removed from the investigation." She said, moving to walk away. Lance grabbed her wrist, Kate turning in curiosity.

"Don't. Please." He said softly, his tone one of begging. Kate faltered visibly, not really used to dealing with Lance when he was about ready to cry. "Kate, please, I need to see this through." The Wolf sighed.

"Alright, fine. But you better solve this soon. I don't want to lose more Operators to this." She said, Lance nodding.

"I will, I promise." He said, Kate sighing again.

"Jesus, Lance, you better. If this isn't over by the end of the year you're off the investigation, no arguments." She said, Lance nodding in acceptance.

"Don't worry. It'll be over by then." He reassured, Kate opening her muzzle to say more. She hesitated, then growled lightly.

"For christ's sake, Lance, it better be. This isn't healthy for you." She said, Lance blinking. "What, you think I wouldn't realize? Let me tell you a thing, Lance, I may be called Akimbo, but my second highest skill is piecing things together, and _quickly_. If you honestly believe I don't know why you're doing this, you clearly don't know me as well as you seem to think. Laura wouldn't want this, Lance, and you know that. And since you know that, you can't justify that you're doing this for her, because while you would do anything for her, you wouldn't go against what she'd want for you for something so petty." She said, Lance shocked into silence for a long moment. Later, he'd give her credit for being able to so effectively make a 'reason you suck' speech like that, but at the moment he felt anger, and not the hot, blind anger; the anger he felt would better fit the 'cold, calculated anger' type.

"Perhaps you're right, Kate. Perhaps I'm not doing this for Laura, and I'm just deluding myself." He said, the Wolf blinking. "Perhaps...perhaps I'm doing this because I don't know what else to do. I mean, think about it, I was going to be a _father_ , Kate. I was more excited in that week than I'd ever been in my entire life, and then I had everything ripped away-" he snapped two digits together "just like that. I lost everything in the blink of an eye, and I'm never getting that back. So perhaps I'm not doing this because of some kind of revenge. Perhaps I just want the mammal responsible to suffer like I have." He said; Kate was at a complete loss for words at what he'd said, the casual way he'd said them unnerving her in a way his anger couldn't. Everything about his delivery of the words was _off_ , like he couldn't even put any emotion into it less it lose its impact. "Do you have any idea what that's like, Kate? To be powerless to stop and responsible for the death of someone close to you? It's like this void of guilt that, no matter what you do, you can't get rid of it. Training until you're ready to pass out doesn't work, drinking yourself into a coma doesn't help – it haunts your dreams as well – and it just _never ends_. The only reason I have kept it in check is because I've had a goal. So tell me, Kate, what happens when I succeed and I don't have a goal to keep myself from going down?" He asked, the Wolf looking lost for the first time that Lance could remember.

"I...I don't know, Lance. All I can say is that we'll be there for you, if you want us." She answered after a moment, dropping her gaze as she turned. "I have to go. Hassan and Mike are worried as it is, and I promised I'd be back as soon as possible." She said, pausing at the door. "Good luck on your mission."

"Yeah." Lance said quietly as Kate walked out, closing the door behind her. He lay is head closed his eyes, intended on getting some sleep.

Three months later found Lance sitting in one of the chairs inside Nick and Judy's cubicle, playing on his phone as he waited for the two mammals to get back. As he scrolled through his photos he paused when he came across the photo he'd taken with Laura only a few weeks after she had taken him to that arcade. He smiled at the throughly pleased and excited smile he wore in the photo while Laura looked slightly embarrassed. Probably because he'd actually kissed her in public for the first time only a few seconds prior.

Lance felt his smile only grow larger as he thought back to that day.

Lance scratched between his ears where it itched as his other paw tapped the air to the beat being relayed through his speakers and he sang along quietly.

"But the castle's crumbled and you're left with just a name! Where's your crown King No-" he cut himself off with a yelp as he spun and found Laura watching with amusement in her eyes, jumping slightly and falling back.

"Well that was...something." She remarked, gaze lowering to his shirtless chest. "And that is definitely something."

"Thank you. I feel so much better now." Lance snarked, Laura snorting at that.

"To be honest, I didn't know you could sing. I came by to tell you something but heard you and, well, I decided to let you finish first." She said, Lance arching an eyebrow.

"You know if somebody didn't know the context of that sentence it would sound really bad." He remarked, Laura rolling her eyes. "But, if I may ask, what were you going to tell me?"

"Oh, right, Hassan said that he needs us to go out for a bit. Wouldn't say why though." Laura answered, Lance blinking.

"Hm. Odd." Lance remarked as he stood, rubbing his back where it had hit the bed. "Ow." He muttered, Laura wincing apologetically.

"Sorry. Didn't mean to scare you." She said, Lance nodding in acceptance.

"It's fine, just give me a warning next time or something." He said as he turned and opened his closet, pulling a clean shirt out and pulling it on. He was well aware of Laura's gaze and where it resided, and he began to lightly swish his tail as if in thought. The increase in her olfactory presence only confirmed it.

"Lance I swear to go if you don't stop swishing your tail we are not leaving this room for the rest of the day." She threatened, Lance stopping his motions more out of contemplation than actual fear.

"I think you need to work on your threats." He remarked, turning to face her only to find her right in front of him.

"Alright then. Keep doing that, and I shatter your hip bone. How's that?" She asked, Lance actually gulping at the threat.

"I take it back." He said, Laura grinning at her success. "Though I still wouldn't mind not leaving, just not with that outcome." He added, Laura rolling her eyes.

"Maybe later, if you're good. Right now, we should go. Apparently it's urgent." Laura said, turning and walking out with Lance right behind her.

They stepped out into the sun and, after a few minutes of discussion, decided to go to a rather popular tourist spot. They'd seen it before, of course, but individually, before they had become Operators.

"So, if I may ask, how long were you listening to me?" Lance asked with the slightest hint of embarrassment, Laura tilting her head in thought.

"A minute, I think. You're good." She answered, Lance flushing at her praise. She took notice, of course, and she arched an eyebrow. "Are you...embarrassed to be good at singing?" She asked incredulously, Lance averting his gaze with an incredibly small shrug.

"A little. I mean, not because of the fact I can sing, but more because I'm not really interested in it so it seems like a waste if I don't, but I don't like singing except very rarely, so I'm kind of stuck." He answered hesitantly, Laura humming in thought and contemplation.

"Well, you could always just sing to yourself or something, or very quietly. You don't have to sing out loud like earlier." She said, Lance sighing.

"Yeah, I suppose." He agreed, frowning to himself before suddenly smirking as he leaned closer to her. "Or I could save it for you, if you'd like." He offered, Laura flushing at the way he said the words with an almost sensual tone, voice taking on a smooth, easily flowing aspect he normally avoided, preferring a rougher, more awkward sounding tone unless in a fight, where he usually took on a more harsh and commanding tone of voice.

"Uh...I'll consider it." Laura answered, Lance's grin faltering briefly at the words. "Not because I don't like the idea, I mean, just because I don't think you should really be wasting your talent with little one on one sessions." She hurriedly added, Lance nodding to show he understood, though there was a small amount of hurt in his eyes, though Laura wasn't sure if it was because of her refusal, her words, or something else.

"Alright. Take your time, then." He said, turning and looking ahead as Laura felt regret surge up inside her at hurting her mate's feelings.

"Lance, I'm sorry, I don't want you to think I don't like the idea or anything, I just wanted to think about it so I don't push you into something you're doing in haste to please me. I mean, you've admitted to being an extremely spontaneous mammal, so I just want to be careful." She said, the Todd blinking at her in surprise.

"Laura, listen, please. I'd do anything for you, you know that. I've sat on this idea for a while, so I'm not doing anything in haste. I love you, and I would be willing to put my life on the line for you, but I want you to understand that nothing I offer is a decision made in haste. Everything I offer is thought out beforehand. Everything _else_ is spontaneous, but never my offers." He said, Laura averting her gaze. His expression softened from the hardened look to a more kind, more gentle expression. "Hey, I'm not scolding you, Laura. I'm just pointing some things out for clarity." He said softly, the Vixen nodding.

"I know, but I'm sorry anyway. I just don't like mammals making decisions without thinking them through first, and I thought that's what you were doing, and I'm sorry." She apologized, Lance smiling at her.

"It's fine. I'm sorry I got a little snippy." He said, Laura chuckling.

"I like you being snippy. It makes everything so much more fun. Especially when you use it on others. Reminds me of that British show and the first season of it." She said, and this time it was Lance's turn to chuckle.

"I'm glad my snippiness reminds you of a She-Wolf from a tv series from Britain." He said sarcastically as the two of them turned the corner at a crossroads, Laura snorting in amusement.

"You know, when you're using your regular humor, you can be incredibly hilarious. Your dark humor still needs a bit of work, though." She remarked, Lance scoffing playfully.

"Yeah, alright. You just don't appreciate good dark humor when you see it." He retorted playfully, Laura laughing softly. Lance smiled at that, his day always getting better when she laughed. "But, enough about our taste – or lack thereof – in dark humor, can you tell me something?" He asked, Laura glancing at him in surprise at the way his tone had shifted from playful to serious in the middle of the sentence.

"Sure." She answered, Lance clearly hesitating. He sighed.

"Do you...do you think your parents would like me?" He asked, Laura blinking. Of all the questions he could have asked her, that was, surprisingly, not very high on the list of candidates.

"Of course they would. Why wouldn't they?" She said, seeming surprised by the notion somebody wouldn't like him. "What about you? You think your parents would like me?"

"I...don't know." Lance hesitantly answered, Laura tilting her head. "I haven't really kept in contact with them since I got together with Nick. They weren't exactly supportive or understanding of our relationship in any sense, so I tended to avoid contact with them. It stuck and I haven't had any contact with either of them for almost fifteen years now." He explained, Laura's expression softening in understanding and sympathy.

"You should talk to them some time. Even if they didn't like your previous relationship, they're still your parents and they deserve to know how you've been doing." She said, Lance nodding in agreement lightly.

"Yeah, I know, I just...I just don't want your first experience with them to be something we'll both hate." He said, Laura placing a paw on his shoulder comfortingly.

"I understand that, Lance. Take your time; we've got a while yet." She said, Lance nodding.

"Thank you for understanding. It means a lot." He said softly, Laura smiling.

"I don't think I'd be a very good mate if I didn't understand." She commented, Lance snorting.

"I'd still love you, though. I don't need you to understand me, I just need you to be there when I need you. That's all I really want." He said, Laura grinning slightly as a blush heated the sides of her face ever so slightly.

"You see? You _can_ be romantic when you want." She remarked, Lance laughing at that.

"Oh I know, I'm just a bigger fan of being myself. Unfortunately, being romantic doesn't come as easily as I'd like when I try to be myself." He said, Laura frowning.

"Then just be yourself. Don't worry about the other stuff." She said, Lance blinking.

"But I don't want you to feel left out or anything-" Laura cut him off with a shush, Lance closing his mouth in curiosity. While he knew it was unfair to compare, he remembered that when Nick shushed him it usually meant good times. He was curious to see what Laura would do.

"I want you to be yourself, Lance. It's like you said that night at the hotel; if you aren't comfortable, don't worry about it. We can do other things if you would rather." She said, Lance opening his mouth to say something. "No arguing." He closed his mouth.

"Okay." He said quietly, not really figuring it to be worth it to get in an argument over something so petty.

"There ya go, see? You Todds _can_ be trained." She remarked, Lance snorting in genuine amusement at that.

"Oh I know that. I had Nick practically eating out of my paw at times when I felt like it." He said, immediately feeling guilty at bringing his previous relationship up. "Sorry, I shouldn't be talking about that with you." He said, Laura tilting her head.

"Lance, I don't mind you talking about your relationship with Officer Wilde. If anything, I'd like to know more. All I have to go on is the few interviews he's done with Officer Hopps, but you actually knew him and what he was like." She said, Lance blinking in surprise. He'd never expected Laura would _want_ to discuss his ex, but he certainly wouldn't keep it from her if she really wanted to know.

"Well, he was cocky, almost to an unbearable degree, but I liked that about him. Made me feel like everything would end up alright. He still has that kind of personality, but it seems to be a bit more muted than before. We met on accident, to be honest, when he was doing one of his little side jobs. I struck up a conversation out of boredom, and it just kinda went on from there. We met up a bit later at a McClawnolds, when he was done, and...well, this is gonna sound incredibly sappy and cheesy, but it was one of those instant connections where you're all like 'I can spend my life with this mammal and nothing could change that'." Laura snorted at that, trying desperately to keep it silent. She failed and Lance sent a playful glare at her. "I told you it was gonna sound cheesy."

"Yeah, but I wasn't expecting something like that!" She defended, Lance rolling his eyes.

"I was young and in love, Laura, I'm sure you've done equally sappy things when you were that age." Lance said, Laura pausing.

"Wait, you're twenty seven, right?" She asked, Lance nodding. "And Wilde is thirty four, or something, right?" Lance nodded again. "How old were you when you met him again?" Lance hesitated as he realized he was trapped against a wall with no escape, gulping.

"Uh...I was...sixteen." He answered, Laura blinking.

"Wait, wait, wait. Are you telling me you got involved with somebody when you were under eighteen?" She asked in shock, Lance frowning.

"Well, we didn't go to that step _until_ I was eighteen, but we did hang out a lot, and were technically a couple, but we didn't really see the need to risk anything when I would be old enough soon. So we were technically safe, as we didn't do anything romantic aside from eating out and going to the occasional movie, but we were still careful just in case. I didn't really help matters, though." He added the last part carefully, wondering how Laura would react.

"So you were in a technically legal relationship, though more in a gray area because you were romantically involved but not _that_ kind of involved, but you're telling me you were willing to risk it because you were at that age?" She guessed, Lance tilting his paw back and forth in a 'meh, pretty much' gesture.

"Yeah, that sounds about right. Again, I was young and in love, and at that age where mammals like to think certain rules don't apply to them. I knew they still did, but I didn't really care. Nick, silver tongued as he was, always managed to find a way out of it. Sort of." Lance answered, Laura mentally pausing at the last bit as she realized what he meant.

"Wow." She remarked, Lance shrugging.

"You said you wanted to know more. I gave you more." He said, Laura nodding hesitantly.

"Yeah, I suppose you're right." She said.

The two of them fell silent for the rest of their hike, eventually reaching a large park that was insanely popular for tourists and citizens alike for the wide open spaces it provided for all sorts of outings. There was a small copse of trees in the center for those who liked the nature setting but didn't want to go to the Rainforest District for a beautiful scene involving the giant oxygen providing plants, but Lance and Laura settled for a small, empty section of grass in an otherwise full area of screeching kits having fun and their bored parents trying desperately to keep an eye on their kits in what could best be described as a non violent maelstrom. Laura watched the kits in amusement, a small smile on her muzzle as she did so, and it occurred to Lance she had been doing a lot of that lately any time they went out in an area with kits.

"You like kits?" He asked, Laura blinking and turning her head to him.

"Huh?" She asked, clearly not having heard him; probably in a little bubble all to herself.

"I asked if you like kits." He answered, Laura shrugging as she turned her attention back to the maelstrom.

"Yeah, I guess you could say that. I find them more interesting and entertaining, though, and generally only the ones from kindergarten to fifth grade age. I like their innocence to the world and how it works, and I feel bad for the ones who have to experience the cruelty of the world too soon." She answered after a brief moment of thought. "You know, I always thought I'd grow up to marry this rich and interesting Todd, as all little Vixens dream, maybe have a few kits and, if my life allowed, go to college for something in either education or, believe it or not, construction. Something productive. I thought I'd meet this lovely Todd who was kind, caring, respectable, and who would treat me right. Instead I got you." She said, Lance opening his mouth to say something, then closed it as he realized she could mean that in some kind of positive, endearing way.

"Um...thank you?" He said unsurely, frowning to himself.

"What I meant, Lance, was that I wanted something that seemed like the perfect life. Instead I got you and all the wonderful things you've done and will do for me, and I've realized that a perfect life would be dull if you weren't there. Whereas I wanted perfection, you offer something a bit more...interesting; you offer me craziness and unpredictability and I have loved every second of it, and I will continue to do so for as long as we are together. Perfection is dull, I came to realize the day I met you, and that scared me a bit at first. That's the thing nobody realizes about perfection until they stop to think about it, Lance. If nothing can go wrong because it's perfect, then what is there to offer you excitement? The answer is, obviously, nothing." She explained, Lance feeling himself smile at the words and his chest begin to ache slightly. He'd always worried he may have been doing things wrong with her, and now here she was telling him he was better than the perfect life she'd wanted as a kit. That made him feel...no, perhaps happy wasn't the right word. _Needed_ was more accurate, and the realization of that had him ready to cry in happiness.

Lance surprised both of them by pulling Laura into a hug, the Vixen surprised into stillness for a long moment before hugging him back. A Wolf glanced at the two of them in curiosity, then turned away when said curiosity was satisfied.

Lance pulled his head back from Laura's shoulder and raised it slightly before bringing it forward again. Laura tensed up in shock at the sudden but soft kiss, Lance ending it before she had a chance to recover fully and pulling away. He took one look at Laura's embarrassed expression and immediately pulled his phone out and snapped a picture of the two of them with a smile on his muzzle, pocketing the electronic.

When Laura recovered enough to realize time had passed since the kiss had started she looked around in embarrassment, noting the different mammals looking at them in curiosity, waiting to see what would happen next, if anything.

 _'Ah forget it, who cares at this point?'_ She thought as she straightened herself and grabbed Lance by the front of his shirt. He looked worried for a moment before Laura pressed her muzzle to his and he stared, wide eyed, into space in surprise at the retaliatory kiss. After a two second delay he recovered and reached up, gently placing his paws at the base of her skull on both sides where it met her neck as he pushed back ever so slightly.

When they pulled apart, Laura was panting; Lance was only breathing mildly shallower as a result of his better lung capacity, a boon when one specialized in close quarters fighting where, in a bad situation, the fight could last a few minutes if both fighters were relatively evenly matched. It also helped in situations such as these.

"Whoa." Lance said quietly, shaking his head to clear it as Laura bit her lip awkwardly.

"You think we should head back yet?" Laura asked nervously, Lance looking up to try and judge the time. It seemed about right, if his guess was correct. He hoped it was, otherwise he feared what they may walk into at Home.

"Yeah, probably about now is good. Hopefully." Lance answered, Laura nodding as they stood and stretched before turning and walking towards the exit. Laura was flushing the whole way back while Lance had his normal, almost bored expression, though touched with a bit of excitement.

When Lance opened the door he was surprised to find all the lights out, though it didn't really bother him as he had pretty good night vision. What disturbed him, though, was the fact the building was deathly quiet. Not even Mice – which tended to live in the walls from time to time, not that Kate did anything about them – seemed active, and he knew there was a colony in the building because he'd heard them only an hour or so before he and Laura had left.

"Odd." Laura remarked quietly, frowning to herself. Lance silently agreed, finding it odd he couldn't hear anything.

They cautiously moved towards the center room where the Operators tended to do their own things and, coincidentally, where Laura and Lance had first slept on the same furniture piece as the other. When they stepped into the room the lights suddenly flared on and both of them yelped as they jumped and fell back, shielding their eyes from the sudden light and neither catching anything that was said, if anything. Lance shook his head with his eyes closed, opening them and squinting as he looked around. He blinked.

"Hey Laura, make me feel better and tell me you forgot today was our three month anniversary." He said, the Vixen blinking.

"It is?" She asked, Lance sighing in relief.

"Oh thank god. I was terrified for a moment there." He remarked, Laura frowning in confusion before looking into the room and blinking.

"Huh. It would seem it is." She said, eyes resting on the casually dressed group of Operators that stood under a banner that said 'Happy 3 Month Anniversary Lance and Laura!'

"Well the fact you also forgot makes me feel less like a jerk for forgetting myself, so I guess I've got that going for me." Lance said, more or less repeating himself, as he stood. "Though I'm pretty sure you don't celebrate this anniversary. Pretty sure that's once a year after two mammals are married." He added, Hassan shushing him.

"Shut up, we felt like being nice and you just want to poke holes it it!" He snapped playfully, Lance holding his paws in surrender.

"Hey, I appreciate the gesture, don't get me wrong, I'm just surprised. It wasn't necessary to stage something like this, really. A simple congratulations would have been fine." He said, Laura cuffing him over the head lightly.

"Shut up, you're digging yourself deeper." She whispered, Lance closing his mouth at the realization she was right. "We appreciate the effort everybody, really. Thank you for taking the time to put it all together." She said, the Operators laughing at how flustered her and Lance appeared.

"Hey, if you want, we'll save some food if you'd rather celebrate yourselves!" Mike teased, Lance flushing before grinning as he glanced at Laura.

"Sure. See you guys later." He said, Laura rolling her eyes even as she followed him out.

Mike and Hassan exchanged glances with each other and Kate.

"I didn't think they'd actually do it." Mike said.

Lance looked up from his phone as the door opened, Nick and Judy blinking when they saw him sitting in a chair inside their cubicle. Nick in particular looked slightly worried.

"Hey there. We need to talk." Lance said as he pocketed the phone and leaned forward in the chair, grinning under his mask. Nick gulped as he glanced at Judy nervously, who seemed to not notice it.

"Alright. What about?" Judy asked, cheerful as always.

"The side investigation, and what's going to happen when I find them."

 **And that does it for Chapter 36 of Zootopian Assassins! I hope you guys enjoyed this Chapter because oh dear god it took me a few days to write it. More than the last five Chapters did, that's for sure, but I still enjoyed writing it. Chapter 39 will start Lance's little Roaring Rampage of Revenge on the mammals responsible for Laura's death, and it will be long and glorious, of that I promise you, both in terms of how long it takes to completely write and how long it lasts in universe as well. Chapter 38 will include, among other things, a showcase of just how much better at CQC and takedowns Lance is compared to the other Operators, as well as a small fight with Nick over motives and the like. Anyway, this is getting long enough, I will see you guys...next update. Word Count: 5,149**


	38. Leaving

**Hey guys Price here and welcome to Chapter 37 of Zootopian Assassins! I hope you guys enjoy this Chapter because this is the last major flashback to Lance and Laura, which means this is immediately after Lance finds out Laura's pregnant. I have honestly enjoyed writing these two, and will likely incorporate Laura into another fic of mine – not Tooth and Claw, something else – where she shares a similar relationship with Lance. It will be an epic fic, hopefully, and I hope you guys will like it when I make it. Enough of that, do not be afraid to tell me what you do and do not like about this Arc, because I feel like I've made Lance a bit unrealistic even for someone with the ability to emotionally shut down if overwhelmed. I will try to make the next Chapter as emotional as possible because it will be where Lance is at his weakest since Laura died. The reason will be made clear when it rolls around. Anyway, this is getting long enough, I think it's time to get...onto the story!**

Lance looked up from his phone as the door opened, Nick and Judy blinking when they saw him sitting in a chair inside their cubicle. Nick in particular looked slightly worried.

"Hey there. We need to talk." Lance said as he pocketed the phone and leaned forward in the chair, grinning under his mask. Nick gulped as he glanced at Judy nervously, who seemed to not notice it.

"Alright. What about?" Judy asked, cheerful as always.

"The side investigation, and what's going to happen when I find them." Lance answered, Judy tensing visibly at the implications of the words.

"You're not going to kill them, Lance." She said matter of factly, the Todd visibly taken by surprise by her words.

"Oh really? You think?" He asked as he stood, Nick seeming to detect where the scene was going. He said nothing, however, clearly wanting to be proven wrong. Lance leaned down as he circled Judy like some kind of shark circling a wounded fish. "And who's going to stop me, hm? You? If you think so, then tell me how. You going to taser me? Gun me down like some kind of rabid criminal?" He asked, his voice taking on a dangerously smooth and velvety tone. Judy visibly shivered at his tone, Lance grinning to himself.

"If I have to, yes." Nick answered suddenly, Lance whipping his head around in surprise. His eyes narrowed as he pointedly turned away from the Todd.

"Well I've got my ex's answer, Judy. What's yours, hm?" He asked, his nose twitching as the fear pheromones reached it from the terrified young Doe. "Come on, don't be so afraid. I'm not going to kill you." He said in false reassurance, Judy taking a deep breath.

"I will employ whatever I have to in order to ensure proper justice is delivered to those responsible for Operator Stone's death, as well as your unborn kit." She answered after a few seconds of hesitation, Lance raising himself back up to a stand as he raised his gaze ever so slightly with a small sigh.

"Very well. I suspect we'll be seeing each other sooner than I had hoped, then." He said after a moment, moving to walk out.

"Lance, if you walk out that door with the intent to kill those in your way, I _will_ stop you." She said in certainty, Lance pausing as he slowly turned to face her.

"Then stop me here. Right now." He said, Judy opening her mouth to say something. Lance raised his paws in front of him, as if begging her to try and cuff him. "You'll be saving lives, Officer Hopps. Isn't that what you're all about at the ZPD?" He asked mockingly, Judy unable to bring herself to cuff him. She didn't let that show, however, and Lance pressed further. "Arrest me now, and be sure to let me know what it's like trying to sleep knowing you let somebody who murdered a pregnant mammal get off with ten years, at most, if they have a good lawyer." He was goading her, and all three of them knew it. Judy averted her gaze and Lance sneered behind his mask. "That's what I thought." He turned and walked out, leaving Judy and Nick alone. After a moment Nick let out a growl and slammed his paws on the desk he stood by.

"We can't let him do it, Judy. We have to stop him, either as cops, or whatever other way we can. He's going to destroy himself like this." He said, Judy sighing.

"I fear he's going to do much worse than destroy himself, Nick. It's obvious he's unstable, even if he hides it perfectly most of the time, but it's also obvious he's become consumed by this. I don't know him like you do, but I fear you may end up having to say goodbye." Judy said, Nick stiffening visibly at the words.

"All the more reason to stop him, then. I am not losing one of my only real friends like this." Nick said, Judy sighing.

"Nick, you need to realize Lance may not want to be saved. As far as he's concerned, this may be the only thing he has left. He's not thinking straight, and he may not intend to survive this. You need to come to terms with that." Judy said, Nick raising his paws to slam them down again as his face contorted in anger, only to let out a whine as he collapsed into a chair.

"I just don't want to see him get hurt because he's reckless, Judy. We may not be together anymore, but I still worry about him." He said softly, leaning forward and resting his head in his paws. Judy could only stare, unsure how to comfort her mate when she knew things could still get worse. Nick suddenly let out a small laugh, Judy blinking. "God, this is comical. You're supposed to be the one who gets all emotional and worried over somebody you barely know, and I'm supposed to be the one who's the realist and points out all the things you just did." He muttered, shaking his head sadly.

" _Pretty_ certain you were more cynical than realist, but I get your point." Judy said, frowning to herself. Nick rolled his eyes slightly. "And, while I'm certain Lance doesn't want to be saved from this, I never was one to turn away from others in need." She said after a moment, Nick blinking in surprise before smiling thankfully.

"All I ask is that we try, Judy. That's all I ask." He said, Judy nodding.

"And we will try, Nick. I promise you that." She said, taking a deep breath. "But right now, we need to get our stuff ready for the night shift. I never thought I'd be saying this, but we can't take this to Bogo. We're the only two here who would actually try to stop him without killing or, at the very least, crippling him." As the Doe went to work getting everything ready for the mammals who worked nights, Nick hesitated behind her.

"Hey, Judy." He said after a moment, Judy turning in curiosity.

"Yes, Nick?" She asked, tilting her head.

"If it came down to it, would you shoot Lance if you had to?" He asked, Judy hesitating in her answer.

"I don't know. I want to say no, but at the same time I don't know." She answered, Nick nodding after a moment.

"Alright." He said quietly, Judy barely catching it. Her ears fell back when she did, though, realizing he felt guilty about telling Lance that he would if he had to.

 _'That must have been hard.'_ She thought to herself, shaking her head. _'And unbelievably hurtful to both of them.'_

Lance pushed open the door to exit Precinct One a bit too hard, the glass inside the door shaking and threatening to shatter under the impact when it collided with the wall. He ignored it though, as well as the curious looks from an Ocelot and Honey Badger that passed him.

 _'Night shift, most likely.'_ He thought as he descended the stairs, hearing the Ocelot telling the Honey Badger about the white ZPD letters on his tactical vest, likely in response to the Honey Badger suggesting asking for identification or just asking who he was.

Lance made his way to Home, stepping through the doors not too long after leaving Precinct One, and almost immediately ran into Kate. He reflexively sidestepped and spun to better allow her to slip past, stopping when she gripped his upper arm a few inches below the shoulder, turning his head to look at her in confusion. She kept her gaze straight ahead, refusing to meet his gaze.

"We need to talk." She said, Lance opening his mouth to respond when she finally turned to meet his gaze. She looked afraid, and that made him worry. Kate worried only for the Operators under her command, so when she worried over something likely not related, Lance began to worry.

"Of course, Commander." He said, Kate dipping her head slightly as she turned and lead him into the building, towards her office. When they stepped inside she turned and took a deep breath.

"Lance, I need to know something." She said, Lance not liking her tone. It carried a defensive nature, like she _really_ didn't want to be having the current conversation. That said a lot, considering she was always willing to talk about anything.

And that meant _anything_.

"What would you like to know, Commander?" He asked, Kate hesitating as she opened her mouth. It was clear as a sunny day she was uncomfortable with what she had to say.

"What do you intend to do when you find the mammal responsible for Laura?" She asked, Lance blinking. He'd been expecting something about his threat to Officer Hopps, not something that should be all too obvious.

"What I do best, Commander." He answered easily, Kate blinking in shock at the answer.

"Which is...?" She asked hesitantly, Lance sighing a small sigh as he lowered his gaze ever so slightly, breaking eye contact an almost unnoticeable amount.

"Kill them, Commander. No quarter." He answered, Kate nodding to herself as she turned and began to walk around her desk, a single digit tracing a line along the wood as she appeared to take on a sullen, almost regretful appearance.

"I suppose I should have expected that answer. You always were the most driven during training." She said quietly, Lance's ears tilting forward in curiosity. He didn't really like where this seemed to be heading.

"Commander?" He asked, narrowing his eyes in a confused manner. Kate raised her gaze, swallowing visibly in a mixture of regret and sorrow.

"As of this moment, I am hereby relieving you of active duty as an Operator for as long as is necessary to let you either cool down or get your revenge in a way that doesn't bring the rest of us down with you." Kate said, Lance stiffening visibly but making no vocal signs he objected to the idea. "We're a team, yes, but this path will not be beneficial to anybody should you be caught. Officially, I can not condone what you claim you will do. Unofficially...have fun, Lance." She said, the Todd nodding as he made to turn and leave. He paused, however, before reaching up and placing a paw over the Operator insignia patch on his shoulder.

"I suppose you'll be wanting this, then." He said, pulling it off and tossing it over his shoulder. Kate caught it, her eyes carrying a sadness she couldn't begin to describe, as he turned slightly and looked at her, awaiting her response. For an Operator, removing the insignia patch was their equivalent of turning in a badge and gun for a regular cop.

"You're quitting." She said, the words more an accusation than a question.

"It's like you said, Commander. If I'm caught, any signs of my affiliation to the Operators puts you all at risk. I can't have that." Lance responded, Kate nodding sadly. "Hey, it'll be fine, Kate. If I don't get caught, I promise I'll come back if I can. You have my word." He reassured, the Wolf nodding.

"I'll hold you to that, then. Good luck, Lance." She said, the Todd nodding.

"I'll probably be coming for weapons when I have an identification. Make it convincing when I do, okay?" He said, Kate nodding.

"We won't hold back." She said as she sat down in resignation, both of them knowing full well she meant the words.

"I'd be worried if you did." Lance remarked as he turned, raising a paw in a farewell wave. "See you around, Kate." With that, he turned and began to make his way to the exit.

Kate sighed sadly to herself as she stared at the insignia patch in her paws, wishing that it hadn't had to come to this.

"Yeah. See you around." She said, hanging her head as she hesitantly reached out and tapped the intercom. "Hassan, Mike, find Squad Two and bring them to my office. I have news." She said, releasing the button and leaning back into her chair.

Lance paused as the intercom came on, hearing the instructions from Kate and increasing his pace when he resumed walking ever so slightly. He made it to the front doors without incident, however, and he breathed a small sigh of relief he hadn't had to fight anyone. He didn't think he was ready for that yet.

Lance stepped through the door of an abandoned building, closing it behind him as he glanced around. He found the light switch after a moment and tried it, frowning when nothing happened.

 _'Either the generator's out or something's fried. Either way, that means work I don't feel like doing right now.'_ He thought grumpily as he walked over to a small cabinet on the wall not too far from the door. He opened it and grabbed one of the flashlights inside, flicking the switch and frowning further when nothing happened. He banged it lightly into his paw, then tried the wall when that didn't work. He growled in annoyance that the method of percussive maintenance didn't seem to be working, then tossed it over his shoulder as he grabbed four flares, placing three into an ammo pouch.

"Twist, avert eyes, and strike." He muttered to himself as he twisted the cap of the flare, looked away and closed his eyes, and struck it against the floor. Light burst into the room as it caught, Lance slowly opening his eyes to allow them to adjust. He made his way to the generator room and placed the flare down on the floor next to it as he checked the fuel level. He saw it still had at least half a full tank and screwed the cap back on, then went about trying everything he could to make it work, including trying smacking it in an effort to jumpstart it. Still didn't work.

 _'Alright. Must be a wire, fuse, or something else. This day just gets better and better.'_ He thought gloomily, shaking his head as he stood. He ignited a second flare as the first began to fade, beginning the search for some kind of faulty electronic.

Eventually Lance found a faulty fuse and replaced it with one he managed to find after a few minutes, then tried the generator again. After a few tries – and one instance where percussive maintenance actually worked when he gave it a frustrated kick – it kicked into life and the overhead lights kicked on, Lance standing with a small grin as he tossed the flare away and made his way to the center room. He plopped into a chair with a contented sigh to finally be done working and let the chair spin as he glanced over at the small desk with nothing on it. He turned slightly and pushed, the chair rolling towards the desk and coming to a stop. He raised his feet and propped them on the table as he leaned his head back, closing his eyes as he thought back to a more happy time, right after he'd found out Laura was pregnant; he needed something happy at the moment.

Lance slowly opened his eyes with a quiet grumble as he raised his head in a tired, half awake trance. He was aware of a substantial heat source in front of him, pressed tightly up against his front, and he looked down in a curiosity more caused by his half asleep trance than not actually knowing. He smiled softly when he saw it was Laura, one of his paws wrapped protectively around her middle and the other acting as a pillow for her head which lay a small bit lower than the actual pillow. Another unfortunate side effect of her unnatural shortness – for a Red Fox, anyway, at only three feet ten inches compared to the average four feet five inches – was that she tended to be a bit short of the pillow when they mated. She didn't see to mind the small inconvenience, however, since she usually ended up laying on top of him all night and thus had no need for pillows.

Lance lowered his paw ever so slightly to lay over her stomach, a very small and almost imperceptible growl of possessiveness that also doubled as a vow of protection escaping him as he thought of the unborn kit inside her. After all the years he'd spent with Nick, he'd never really given any thought to kits since he knew it was literally biologically impossible for them to have kits. Real life wasn't one of those weird slash fics with male pregnancies; the mere _concept_ of it made him shiver. Now, though, it was a very real thing, and he didn't know whether to feel ecstatic like he knew he should or afraid that _something_ would go wrong and that _something_ would happen to him, the kit, or Laura and he would lose everything _again_.

Laura seemed to detect his distressed thoughts like all female mammals seemed able to do – and coincidentally males always seemed _incapable_ of doing without direct visual, auditory, or olfactory confirmation – and stirred, turning her head slightly.

"Hey, you okay?" She asked softly, still half asleep herself.

"Yeah, just thinking. Don't worry about it." He said reassuringly, Laura remaining silent for such a long moment that Lance wondered if she had decided to accept the answer and had gone back to sleep. She rolled over completely and he had his answer.

"Obviously it isn't nothing, because I can sense your distress." She said, Lance sighing.

"I never said it was nothing, Laura, just not to worry about it. I promise, I was just thinking." He said, Laura sighing quietly as she finally nodded.

"Alright. Fine. I'm sorry for pushing." She said, an edge in her voice, and Lance felt momentary alarm course through him. She immediately looked apologetic. "Sorry. I can get snappy when tired." Lance's expression softened in relief, having been worried something was going on.

"It's fine, Laura. I can be the same way some times." He said reassuringly, his mate scoffing.

"You never get that way with me." She accused, Lance looking down at her in surprise.

"Do you want me to?" He asked, Laura pausing in thought.

"I just want you to be yourself without worrying about how others feel. If being snippy when you're tired is part of yourself, then I want to see that part of you. You trust me when you're at your most vulnerable, so why don't you trust me to be able to take a bit of snippiness?" Laura asked, Lance blinking. He chuckled.

"I just don't want to push you away because I say the wrong thing during a sleepiness induced trance. My mind is a weird place, Laura, and it tends to leak when I'm half asleep." Lance said, placing a comforting lick on the top of Laura's head.

"Oh? Weird how?" The Vixen asked, clearly curious.

"Well, I once described in vivid detail what it felt like to have a buzzsaw start cutting into you from your shoulder after I dreamed it. Another time I dreamed about participating in a mass slaughter in Iraq despite never having been there and being able to describe the surroundings good enough to find out the village was Haditha. Those are two of my more memorable dreams my mind conjured up." Lance answered after a moment of thought, Laura looking understandably disturbed by the answer.

"So you had a dream involving a buzzsaw and another dream involving the Haditha killings?" She asked, Lance nodding in answer. "Wow."

"Yeah. A bit freaky, my imagination." Lance remarked, pulling Laura up a bit so she could rest her head on the pillow. She gripped his arm and raised herself up as he closed his eyes to go back to sleep. Lance opened his eyes back up, his curiosity piqued.

"Say, you don't have any plans for later today, do you?" She asked, Lance tilting his head

"...Well I guess I do now." He answered with a chuckle as Laura moved to lay on top of him in a rather familiar position for both of them.

Two days later, Lance flipped a knife absentmindedly into the air, catching it easily. Laura watched him in obvious nervousness from the other side of the room, not really liking the carelessness he seemed to show flipping the knife up into the air. A knock came from the door to the room they shared, Lance stopping his knife tossing to look at the door in a mixture of surprise and curiosity. He stood and opened it, for once completely surprised to see who was on the other side.

"Oh, excuse me, I must have the wrong room. I'm looking for Operator Squad Two's quarters." The Ocelot on the other side said, Lance tilting his head ever so slightly.

"What's your name?" He asked, the Ocelot blinking.

"Uh, Recon, sir-" Lance cut the Ocelot off with a snap of his digits, the younger Feline blinking in confusion.

"Do you know what rank I am?" Lance asked as he silently gestured for Laura to approach, the Feline not even having to hesitate to think.

"The only Operator with a rank known to the others is the Commander. I just assumed you were a higher rank since you have more experience." He answered, Lance nodding in acceptance of the answer.

"Alright, that makes sense." He said as Laura stuck her head out into view in curiosity. Recon locked up in surprise as his eyes widened noticeably. Lance arched an eyebrow questioningly. "Something the matter, Recon?" He asked, the Ocelot opening his muzzle to speak, closed it, then opened it again.

"I thought it was against fraternization policy to become attached to your fellow Operators is all." He answered, Lance turning his head to look at Laura with amusement, then faced Recon again.

"That's technically at the ZPD. The only rules we live by here are respect and to never give quarter to those who would ask for it, especially when we're called in to get a job done." Lance responded, Recon blinking.

"No quarter...?" He asked hesitantly, Lance tilting his head.

"Don't they teach you anything in training? Operators are a last resort, lethal force group only. We don't aim for the legs or paws, we aim for the chest or head." Lance answered, Recon faltering visibly before nodding.

"Understood. Can you point me in the right direction for Operator Squad Two's quarters?" The Ocelot asked, Lance sighing as he jerked his thumb to the right.

"Follow this hallway, skip the first two intersections, then turn left on the third. After that, keep going until you reach the end. Turn right and you'll find Squad Two's quarters." He said, the Ocelot nodding as he turned and began walking. Lance closed the door and turned to face Laura. "They're gonna try and Buddy you two." He remarked, Laura nodding.

"I got as much, since we specialize in roughly the same thing." She replied, Lance sitting back down. He went back to tossing the knife into the air, Laura watching him with a mixture of interest and fear.

Two days later, Lance stood in the armory staring at his outfit, his head tilted in thought as he looked it over. He reached out and picked up one of the hard plastic shin guards, running his paw over it; feeling for cracks and other imperfections in the mold. He repeated this motion with the other shin guard, then the forearm guards. With a satisfied hum, he stepped back to admire the outfit. He stared into the mask, the thought of what he must look like to his victims as he stalked towards them suddenly taking residence in his mind. He shook it away with a small growl, finding I more annoying than worrying he allowed the thought to even fester.

A short, tiny scuffing sound told him he had a visitor.

Red arms wrapped around his waist as he felt a heat source rest against his back, Lance turning easily and facing Laura.

"Hey." She greeted softly, Lance smiling at her.

"Hey." He echoed, just as softly, as he placed a soft kiss on top of her head.

"There a reason you're in here?" Laura asked, Lance shrugging in answer.

"Just looking over my stuff, really. More bored than anything." He said, a small grin forming on Laura's muzzle at the words.

"Well, lucky for you I know the perfect way to stave off boredom." She said, pulling away slightly as her eyes half lidded.

"Sounds like a plan, then." Lance remarked as Laura turned and walked away, Lance following her. He stopped and turned to look into the armory at the feeling of being watched, noticing Recon watching him for the first time from a corner chair. He frowned to himself as he turned and resumed following Laura.

He had a bad feeling about the Feline, though he couldn't figure out what it was or what caused it.

Lance opened his eyes, gaze resting on the wall in front of him from her it had shifted forward during his musings. He rolled his neck, hearing it crack and pop loudly as he let out all the kinks. He adjusted his position slightly and closed his eyes as he reached up and pulled the ballistic mask off, setting it on the table in front of him. He let sleep take him.

Several months later, in early October, Lance sat cross legged at a table, staring at the mammal in front of him. Over the past few months he had carefully built as much of a web of informants as he could. He had eventually found somebody who could help him find the mammal he was searching for.

"Alright, so what do you have?" Lance asked, the White Tailed Deer reaching into a bag and pulling a small manilla folder out. She set it down and Lance picked it up, opening it and blinking. He let out a small chuckle when he realized what the photos meant. Lance stood. "Oh, she thought she could keep this from me forever, didn't she? She thought she could just string me along for a long, long time until she didn't need me." He said to himself, gesturing the other mammal could leave. The Deer nodded and stood, leaving the room quickly.

 _'Well, guess it's time to go for the weapons, then. I'm gonna need them.'_ He thought as he tucked the folder under an arm and began walking. _'Maybe I'll let Nick know I've found them, just to prove a point when he finds them.'_

"Yeah, I like that idea." He said quietly, grinning to himself as he began walking. He eventually reached his hideout and tossed the manilla folder into the trash, not needing it any longer, and pulled his phone from a pocket. He glanced up at the clock, then nodded to himself when he saw it was about time for nick to get off. He tapped the number, hoping it was still the same as before.

A click.

" _Hello?"_ Nick's voice asked, Lance taking a deep breath as he suddenly felt nervousness hit him like a freight train.

"Hey, Nick. I found the mammal I've been looking for." He said, the line going silent for a long moment.

" _Alright, give me your location and we can meet up, take them in."_ Nick said finally, Lance scoffing.

"I'm not stupid, Nick. You already know where I'm at; triangulation only takes a few seconds. Meet me here. I won't leave." Lance said, hanging up and throwing the phone down. He stomped it, crushing the phone and the SD card, just to be safe.

Now all he had to do was wait to see if Nick would take him down, help him, or if Lance would have to plow his way through him.

 **And that does it for Chapter 37 of Zootopian Assassins! I hope you guys have enjoyed this Chapter, even if it did jump an extreme amount of time near the end. Next Chapter showcases Nick and Lance having a small little confrontation, as well as Lance showing just how and why he earned the name Personnel for his Operator callsign. More specifically, he'll be showing the other Operators how he earned the name. Please do not be afraid to nitpick me, I promise you guys any advice you can give will make me a better writer, allowing me to give you guys better content and lets you guys stop having to see the mistakes I make. I welcome helpful criticism like a starving man welcomes a feast, or like an anime fan welcomes Season 2 of Shingeki no Kyojin. Anyway, this is getting long enough as it is, I will see you guys...next update. Word Count: 5,119**


	39. Confrontations

**Hey guys Price here and welcome to Chapter 38 of Zootopian Assassins! I hope you guys enjoy this as it will include one of the goriest and most psychologically disturbing kills in this series, the proof that Lance has** ** _earned_** **his Operator Callsign, and a short scuffle with Nick for extra proof that he's – obviously – incredibly damaged and unhinged by this point in his quest for revenge. Well, the violent kill will pretty accurately reflect that, but I mean more from the emotional side instead of the psychological side. If you've seen Black Lagoon: Roberta's Blood Trail you will have a wonderful visual of the wound, but if not you might be able to find the clip of where she fights, seduces, and then** ** _brutally_** **slaughters the FARC Commander. It's a disturbing kill, which is what I'm going for, and is perfect for Lance's mental state which is not too unlike Roberta's during the OVA series...minus the pills and hallucinations. Anyway, that's enough of that, I think it's time to get...onto the story!**

Lance sat in his chair, his crushed phone on the ground next to him, with his hind paws propped up on the desk in front of him. His ear twitched as a familiar sound reached his ears. He began to count down in his head

 _'Three. Two. One.'_

The door to the building he occupied burst open, banging against the wall loudly as Lance lowered his legs and pushed on the desk lightly, his chair turning to face the door as Nick strode in. Lance spread his arms in invitation as a smile formed on his muzzle.

"Hey there Nicky! Been a while, ain't it?" He asked as he stood, the older Todd coming to a stop a few feet away.

"Make this easy, Lance. Please." He said softly, Lance frowning as his arms fell. He shook his head as he began to pace slowly back and forth.

"I am afraid I can't do that, Nick. You know me. When I'm determined to get something, I will get it no matter the cost. Maybe not immediately, but one day." He said, Nick narrowing his eyes.

"Are you _threatening_ me, Whitney?" He asked, Lance grinning in response.

"Oh Nicky, you and I both know I don't make _threats._ " He said with a chuckle. His eyes narrowed dangerously as the chuckle died almost immediately. "I make _promises._ " Nick gained a brief, disturbed look at the words, then sighed as his gaze lowered.

"Very well." He said, closing his eyes as he took a deep breath. He opened his eyes and approached Lance with a determined look, Lance's gaze never leaving his eyes until they were practically muzzle to muzzle as they stared each other down.

"Last chance to help me, Nicky. Don't make me hurt you." Lance said, Nick scoffing at the words.

"I'm a lot better at combat that you think, Lance. I'm taking you in." He replied, Lance nodding slowly as his eyes drifted downward sadly for a brief moment before raising back up to Nick's eyes with a smirk on his muzzle.

"Alright then." He said, Nick letting out a gasp as Lance drove his knee into the older Todd's gut, making him double over as he stumbled back clutching his stomach. Lance waisted no time pressing his advantage, stepping forward and delivering a left hook to Nick's side that lifted the Todd off the ground a good six inches before tumbling to the ground coughing and wheezing. Lance's expression seemed to be one of boredom, though Nick could see past it to the regret he had to do what he'd just done that resided in his eyes. He raised his hind paw and pressed it to Nick's chest, keeping him pinned to the ground as he stared into his former friend's eyes. "I wish it didn't have to be this way, Nicky. You could have helped me. You may even have saved a few of the ones likely to get in my way a slow, painful death. But you had to try and stop me, and now..." Lance trailed off as he leaned down, his lithe frame allowing him to bend more and further than normal and get – more or less – right in Nick's face. "Know that you've failed to save a single one. Nobody survives this, Nick. My rampage will be absolute."

"Is this what Laura would want, Lance?" Nick asked in defiance, Lance huffing lightly as he raised himself to a stand.

"At this point, I don't really care what she would want me to do." He answered, Nick blinking. That had clearly not been the reaction he'd expected. "You see, Nicky, I'm all too aware Laura would want me to move on or something like that. And I probably would have, given enough time to cool off my rage and my grief, but the thing is...I was gonna be a dad. I had the chance to be happy with where I'd ended up for the first time in a long while, and then they had the bälle to kill that hope. So, to get to the point, you aren't going to get to me by using Laura." Lance explained, Nick huffing in mild annoyance.

"Very well. Then think about what your friends would do. What would Hasan say if they knew what you were planning? Or what about Mike? Kate?" Nick asked, Lance narrowing his eyes.

"I don't have _friends_ , Nicky. I have _allies_ and _tools_. If you won't fall under either category, you're an _enemy_. If you're an enemy, then I can't let you continue to be such." He said, unholstering his sidearm and racking the side pointedly. He leaned down, pointing the barrel at Nick's forehead with a cold, detached look in his eye. "What do you want on your tombstone, Nicky? 'Ignorant bastard'?" He asked, Nick grinning in response.

"How about 'there's no cure for an idiot with a gun'?" He tried, Lance's eye twitching at the word 'idiot'. He growled low in his throat and pulled the trigger, dust rising up and clouding his view for a few seconds as he stared in contempt at where Nick's head was generally located. When the particles settled his eyes widened in surprise at seeing Nick clutching the gun barrel, blood dripping to the ground next to him from where the bullet had grazed his forehead when he'd shoved the barrel aside. With a grunt and a growl, Nick tore the gun from Lance's paw and tossed it aside, the firearm skidding a few feet before hitting the chair and coming to a stop. Lance leapt back in a brief moment of panic, his eyes wide at being thwarted so easily, even if Nick had taken a wound doing it.

In his head, Lance was thanking just about every deity he could imagine he hadn't actually killed Nick.

"Nick-"

"Not everything can be solved with a gun and violence, Lance. You should know this." Nick said, interrupting Lance before he could get more than a single word out, as he stood with anger in his eyes. Lance snarled at the veiled insult in the words, paw resting on his sheathed tanto knife's grip.

"Shut up! I'm warning you now Nick, I swear to god I will kill you!" He screamed, panic at being caught off guard like he had overriding any rational thought. He took a step back subconsciously.

"Then do it already! Quit saying you will and just do something for once in your miserable life!" Nick shouted, Lance's eye's widening as his jaws slowly parted in shock. His breathing stuttered, paw dropping from the handle of his knife as he blinked slowly. Nick didn't seem to realize what he'd said, however, as he continued. "For christ's sake, Lance, you always talk about doing stuff but you never _do_ anything! You talk tough when you're backed into a corner but you never back it up with anything! So prove me wrong right now, and kill me! Show me you can back up your words instead of just talking like you always have!" Nick shouted, Lance clenching his paw as he rushed forward, gripping Nick's uniform with his other paw and pulling the other back.

" _ **That's all I know how to do anymore!"**_ He screamed as his fisted paw drove forward, colliding with the area right under Nick's left eye with enough force for the impact to mask the sound of Lance's bones cracking dangerously. They didn't break, but they came dangerously close. Lance panted heavily as he stared at Nick, the older Todd's head having moved a considerable amount from the hit. Nick held his position for a long moment before his knees gave out and he collapsed, Lance taking a step back in surprise. "N-Nick?" He said in worry, his anger dissipating at the prospect his former mate was hurt. Nick raised a paw, shaking his head.

"Just go." He said quietly, Lance blinking. He raised his gaze to Lance, defeat the dominant look in his eyes.

 _'He looks like he's just...given up on me.'_ Lance thought numbly, Nick lowering his gaze to the ground again.

"Please, just...just go, Lance." Nick said, Lance nodding as he turned and walked over to his chair, picking up his gun and holstering it. He paused as he passed Nick, wanting to say something but unable to figure out what he _could_ say. He'd obviously shown Nick he was too far in to be saved, if his expression had been any indication, and he shuddered to think about what that could mean if they met again before he was done.

"I'll see you around, Nicky." Lance said softly as he resumed walking, stepping out the door and turning as he headed for the last place he would need to stop at before he could begin his revenge. He hoped nobody would have to die, but he was prepared to do so if he had to.

Nick waited for Lance to leave before he finished sinking to the ground, the punch he'd taken having done a bigger number on him than he had expected. Yes, he knew Lance was physically stronger by a landslide, but he hadn't expected to be nearly knocked unconscious by a single punch.

Nick raised a shaking paw holding his phone into view, tapping at it with digits barely able to be kept stable enough to function. He slowly typed a message to Judy to come and get him, then let his paw drop as he fought to keep his eyes open. He needed to be okay if he wanted to stop Lance later.

Lance stood across the street from Operator HQ, still slightly hesitant to do this final part of what he knew was necessary. He'd fought the other Operators in mock fights for training, obviously, but this would be real. He would get no second chances, so he had to do this as good as he could.

With a determined sigh, Lance began to cross the road, narrowly dodging a car that sped past him as his expression dulled into one anybody who knew him and how he was during battle and emotional overload would recognize as the expression he wore when he shut down. He was saving himself from feeling remorse until he was done, even though he knew it would only make it worse in the long run.

Lance didn't even hesitate as he stepped onto the sidewalk and raised his right hind paw, kicking the door in with enough force to rattle it in its frame when it hit the wall on the inside of the building. He glanced up at the camera that always watched the door, then began to make his way inside after a few seconds to make sure it captured him.

He didn't get very far before he was confronted by Mike, the slightly larger Operator crossing his arms as he stared Lance down.

"Kate warned us you'd be back. I didn't want to believe it." He said, Lance glancing past him.

"I don't want to hurt anyone here, Mike. Let me take what I need, and nobody has to get hurt. That's all I want." Lance said, his tone just barely staying outside of being a begging tone. Mike sighed.

"I can't do that, Lance. You know that." He said, raising his paws into a combat stance as he spread his legs ever so slightly to brace himself.

"Very well then. Just know I'm sorry this had to happen." Lance said as he began to approach Mike.

"No hard feelings." Mike agreed as he swung at the Todd, Lance ducking under it easily and driving his knee into his friend's gut. He pulled the stun gun he'd recently acquired from the pouch on his hip and drove the prongs into a gap in Mike's armor, causing him to gasp as he sank to his knees. Lance pulled it away and spun, driving the prongs into the space behind his head designed to allow his head the mobility to look up, down, and to the sides. Mike twitched as electricity coursed through him, then fell to the ground in an unconscious heap when Lance brought his elbow down on top of his head.

Lance lingered his gaze on Mike a moment longer before turning and very nearly having his muzzle taken off as a large, orange paw swiped dangerously close to his muzzle. He leaned back, dodging the attempted swipe, and flipped backwards to put distance between him and the attacker. He grinned lightly under his mask when he saw who it was.

"Hey there Hassan. Long time no see." He said, the Sumatran Tiger grunting in agreement.

"There a reason you're doing this, Lance?" He asked after a moment, Lance frowning in surprise.

"Because I need the stuff here. Like I told Mike, I don't want to hurt anybody here." Lance answered, Hassan huffing.

Kate turned the corner at the far end of the hallway, her eyes narrowing dangerously as she saw Lance.

"Well it's about time, Lance! I was thinking you weren't gonna show!" she shouted as she passed Hassan and threw a punch. Lance caught it easily, Kate and Hassan both blinking in shock. Lance threw his arm out and sent Kate off balance, tripping her up with a leg sweep and bringing his stun gun down into the middle of her back. She spasmed for a few seconds before going limp. He sent a punch to the back of her head to be sure.

"I said I would didn't I?" Lance asked as he stood, raising his gaze to Hassan. The Tiger gulped before turning and bolting, very clearly outmatched by the Todd.

 _'I specialize in providing cover fire, not close quarters combat!'_ He thought frantically as he looked over his shoulder to see what Lance was doing. He blinked when he saw what looked like a firearm in his paws. He raised his forearms as Lance pulled the trigger.

A sharp jab into his waist distracted Hassan long enough for him to smack into the wall, the larger Tiger bouncing off it with a loud _boom!_. He stumbled back, barely keeping himself standing, and shook his head to clear it as he reached behind him and felt the shape of a cylinder in his paw. He pulled it free and looked at it, blinking when he saw it was a tranquilizer dart. He looked up towards Lance in surprise, the Todd showing him the firearm was indeed a tranquilizer pistol before tossing it aside.

Hassan could feel the tranquilizing agents taking effect already, and he leaned against the wall with a chuckle at how easily Lance had wiped the floor with him, Mike, and Kate.

"Just goes to show he really is the best when he's trying." He muttered to himself, shaking his head as he slid down the wall. He kept his consciousness for all of thirty more seconds before his head drooped and the tranquilizer fully took hold.

Lance approached the Tiger carefully, prodding him with a hind paw cautiously, just to be safe. He reached out and lightly smacked him, then nodded in satisfaction when he was sure the larger Operator was fully unconscious.

"I wish it didn't have to come to this." Lance muttered as he turned and made his way deeper into the building. He didn't have far to go, that was true, but he wasted time by clearing the different rooms just to be certain there was nobody else he wasn't aware of.

Lance reached the last room with no other Operators showing up, which surprised him. He opened the door and froze when he saw Recon sitting on the bed with a rather familiar object in his paws. The Ocelot turned his head in surprise at being interrupted, his eyes widening as he saw Lance standing there. His eyes flicked back to the metal red cross in his paws, and he quickly pocketed it as he raised his paws.

"Personnel wait, it isn't what it looks like!" He said desperately. Lance wasn't listening. A rage he had never felt before had clouded his mind, making it difficult to even process anything else as he clenched his paws hard enough for them to crack as gas bubbles popped in his joints. He stepped forward, Recon moving back as he did so, his eyes wide in fear. Lance reached out and made to wrap his paw around Recon's head, but was stopped when the Operator's eyes hardened and he pulled a knife and shoved it toward Lance's outstretched paw. Lance yanked his paw back in surprise as Recon pressed his advantage. He swiped at Lance with the blade, the Todd dodging the swipe easily enough to show that Recon wasn't as skilled with a blade as he was, or at least not skilled _enough_.

Recon surprised Lance by leaping forward and kicking him back and out into the hallway, the Todd feeling a small grin split his muzzle.

"Not what it looks like, huh?" Lance asked with a chuckle, Recon seeming to ignore him as he pressed forward and lunged at Lance, the Todd sidestepping the attempted stab and gripping the Ocelot's wrist. He squeezed and twisted as he raised it up, Recon twisting with it and sending a leg sweep at Lance. He lost his grip on the Feline as he stumbled to maintain his balance.

"I suppose it was only a matter of time before you found out." Recon said as he shoved Lance back and onto the ground, raising the knife in preparation to bring it down. As it descended Lance drew his tanto, deflecting it enough to feel the blade brush his cheek as the point hit the ground with enough force to shatter it. Lance flipped his knife into a reverse grip and slammed it into the Ocelot's leg up to the hilt. Recon screeched as Lance brought his hind paws up and kicked out, sending him back through the door and landing on the bed. Lance stood and wasted absolutely no time as he stepped into the room to see Recon pull the knife free.

 _'Amateur. Doesn't even know to leave the blade in.'_ Lance thought in contempt, sneering beneath his mask. Recon hefted the blade and threw it as hard as he could. Lance caught it easily and threw it back, the Feline screeching once more as the blade sunk into the right side of his chest with a meaty _thunk!_ that left no imagination to Lance that the screech was warranted. He stepped forward threateningly and placed his hind paw against his chest, planting it firmly as he wrapped his paw around the handle of his knife and pushed with his hind paw. Recon's head bounced off the wall behind him as Lance wiped the blood off the knife and sheathed it. He raised his gaze back to Recon with a cold indifference in his eyes, the Ocelot conscious enough to recognize the look from the doubtless briefings on Lance he'd been given. His eyes widened in fear as Lance stepped forward.

Lance wrapped his paw around the sightly smaller mammal's upper portion of his head. His paws flew up to grip Lance's wrist, claws trying to dig in and cause damage but getting stopped by the ballistic plating. Lance pulled him off the bed and slung him around, slamming his head against the wall with enough force for a loud _crack!_ to be audible. Recon's paws spasmed at the impact but Lance wasn't anywhere near done. He turned and slammed him against the other wall, actually leaving a blood spot from the impact when he did so. His eyes were wide in maniacal joy at finding somebody to take his rage out on, and he turned and slammed the poor Feline against the wall separating the room from the hallway. He felt a small amount of give in the head and grinned darkly at the implications. Recon's paws fell limp, dangling at his sides, as Lance raised him up and slammed his head against the ground.

The skull cracked and gave as it finally came under too much pressure and took too much damage, Lance's paw driving straight through and hitting the ground. He panted heavily as he slowly raised his paw from the mess of skull, skin, and brain matter with wide eyes as his paw shook in barely controlled rage. The fight had barely shaved off the outer layer of his anger, and it was a _lot_ of anger. Lance shook the mess off his paw with a sneer of contempt for the dead Ocelot.

 _'I knew there was something off about him.'_ He thought with a small snarl, shaking his head as he turned and stepped out. A discharge and the feeling of something colliding with his ballistic mask where his jaws were had him twirling from the impact as he stumbled back into the room. He narrowed his eyes in thought before glancing at Recon's corpse. He hefted it, then nodded after a brief moment of shifting it. _'Maybe he can be useful after all...'_

Negotiator blinked and raised her head in surprise as what looked like Recon missing the upper portion of his head exited the room and began moving towards her and the rest of Operator Squad Two.

"Fire!" Infiltration shouted, Negotiator hesitating before switching her Glock 18 KPOS to fully automatic fire rate and depressing the trigger as her squad mates did the same with their own weapons.

Lance hefted Recon in front of him as he turned into the hallway, hoping the Ocelot would take enough of the bullets for him so he could get close enough to do what he did best. He heard Infiltration order the Operators to fire and turned his head so any bullets wouldn't hit him in the eyes as he charged forward.

The barks and reports of fully automatic firearms filled the hallway as Recon's body took bullet after bullet to his slender frame. Lance felt multiple bullets impact his body armor and he winced in pain despite the fact none of them did any worse than leave a bruise with the small amount of kinetic force lost to Recon's corpse. He would complain later, when he had time.

By the time Lance was what he considered close enough Recon was missing an arm, a leg, and most of his torso. A bullet impacted Lance's shoulder armor and spun him, Lance grinning as he used the added force to increase his momentum as he spun and chucked Recon's corpse as hard as he could. He knocked over the smaller Negotiator, the poor Mongoose. He ignored her, however, and grabbed the barrel of a FN SCAR Mk 17, ripping it from the paws of the slightly larger and much stronger Wolf decked out in a heavily modified EOD suit with added ballistic armor that was the appropriately named Operator known as Juggernaut. He spun and swung the stock against the faceplate, the ballistic glass shuddering as Juggernaut stumbled back.

"We are not equipped for this!" Negotiator shouted as she struggled to push Recon's corpse off her.

"Shut up, Anila! I know that!" Infiltrator shouted back as Lance rolled under Juggernaut's paws as they reached for him, swinging the SCAR and taking the leader of Squad Two out at the legs. Infiltrator fell, and he fell _hard_. He landed on the spot where his upper back met his neck, staying in that position for a long two seconds before his legs fell back down and hit the ground with a loud _thud_. Lance kept his gaze on the fallen Operator a moment too long.

Lance was thrown off his feet as Juggernaut slammed into him, the Todd slamming against the wall hard enough to leave a small dent in the drywall. He fell to the ground and winced as he stood, facing the two remaining Operators. The rising and falling chest told him Infiltrator was still alive, though in what condition he wasn't aware.

"It didn't have to be this way, Personnel." Juggernaut growled out as his hulking frame loomed in front of Lance, the Todd huffing in amusement at the words.

"Funny, that's more or less the same thing I've been saying since my attack started." Lance quipped, Juggernaut growling louder as he charged forward. Lance ducked under the Wolf's outstretched arms as he attempted to wrap them around the smaller Canid in an embrace of death, the Todd grimacing in mutual pain as he brought his knee up between Juggernaut's legs. The Wolf yelped as his paws immediately clutched at his wounded extremity, allowing Lance to rip the helmet off and send a brutal punch into his jaw.

Juggernaut fell as an unconscious heap, leaving Negotiator alone with Lance. The Mongoose wearily stood, her whole frame shaking in fear as she stared at Lance in horror. Her knees shook against each other and the poor Mongoose looked about ready to piss herself; Lance tilted his head slightly as he stared at her. He walked up to her, stopping at arms length, as he raised his paw up towards her head. Her eyes widened in terror before squeezing shut as she awaited whatever she thought he was about to do.

A gentle tap on her forehead had her open her eyes in surprise before looking up towards Lance's eyes in curiosity. The ballistic mask was raised and he smiled softly before tapping her on the forehead again, just a tad harder this time.

"Oh!" She exclaimed as she realized what he was doing. She dropped to the ground and closed her eyes, pretending to be unconscious. Lance chuckled in honest amusement as he lowered the ballistic mask and turned away towards the armory.

 _'Smart Operator.'_ He thought, feeling genuine happiness he didn't have to hurt the smaller mammal. He quite liked her, though more in a platonic way than like what he'd had with Laura, and found her to be rather funny during the little time he'd socialized with her.

Plus he was pretty sure she had a crush on Juggernaut; 'the nose knows' and all that.

Lance stepped into the armory and paused to think over what he would be taking. He knew he needed ammo; that was a given, considering his accuracy tended to lower when he was in a high stress combat situation like he knew he would be. He strode over and picked a duffle bag off the wall, slinging it over his back as he turned and moved over to the pistol and revolver section of the armory.

Lance picked up several magazines for his Heckler and Koch HK45s and placed them into the various pistol magazine pouches on his webbing. He moved to step away when one of the new pistols caught his eye. He licked his lips in indecision before nodding to himself and pulling the Arsenal Firearms AF2011A1 – an Italian double barreled .45ACP derivative of the Colt 1911 – from the rack and grabbing its specialized holster, clipping it to his left leg and holstering the sidearm, securing it with the strap and clip. He did a few leg sweeps and kicks with both legs to make sure it wouldn't hinder him too much, then frowned when he felt too slow with his leg that didn't have a sidearm. Looking around, he eventually found a Chiappa Rhino revolver that he liked. He put it in a leg holster, then nodded with a small smile. That would do.

Lance stepped over to the heavy weapons, knowing they would be a struggle for him to use but not really caring. He needed the firepower for what he had planned.

The Todd eventually settled on a few different heavy weapons, though not very varied: the first was a M249 Squad Assault Weapon with a fully loaded box magazine, the second was an M60C LMG with a fully loaded box magazine, and the third was a MK48 LMG with a fully loaded box magazine. Lance placed them into the bag and grunted under the extreme weight. He was strong, but even then, sixty plus pounds of metal was pushing things, not to mention the weapons he was carrying outside of the duffel bag.

Lance moved over to the automatic rifles and grabbed a few, namely the single Avtomat Kalashnikova – Russian for Automatic Kalashnikov – 1947, which was more commonly known as the AK47. Assault claimed he only used it for the reliability, but it was no secret he loved all things Russian, though mostly the guns. He also grabbed six of the other automatic rifles, ranging from the two AK15s, the three AK12s, and a single AK74 Carbine. He made sure they were loaded, smiled when he saw they were, and stuffed them into the bag. He made to turn away when he noticed the ammo pack hanging a few feet away. He nibbled his lip in consideration for a long moment before nodding and hoisting it onto his back with extreme difficulty. It was nearly as big as he was, but he would need it for his assault after he got the information he needed.

"I'm gonna have to take one of the vans. Can't walk there with all the weight." He muttered as he struggled to heft the bag, shaking his head. He had known the equipment would weigh a lot, but this was insane.

Lance made sure to grab a few blocks of C4 and a trigger before he left, as well as a few of the special gas grenades and a dozen Antipersonnel Claymore Mines. Technically, seeing as the grenades were an extreme variant of nerve gas, they were illegal; however, seeing as Operators were a last resort, lethal force group, they tended to operate under a different set of rules. Bogo looked the other way simply because he knew it would be too much hassle if word got out there were grenades filled with nerve gas within two hundred miles of Zootopia, and he'd allowed them to be there.

The fact the gas was slow acting and only used in the more 'physical interrogations' – 'torture' looked bad on the official documents – and had a ready counteragent probably helped matters.

Lance made sure to grab a few extra detonators. He'd need them for what he had in mind.

Satisfied he was outfitted with enough equipment, Lance made to walk out before pausing. A thought occurred to him.

 _'Actually, I_ did _take an electronics class during training. I wonder...'_ He thought as he turned and looked at the different wiring kits. He grinned and took a few, just to be safe, then turned and walked out.

He had some traps to set up.

 **And that does it for Chapter 38 of Zootopian Assassins! I hope you guys enjoyed this Chapter, and I do hope the armory scene didn't seem too improbable. I've said it before (probably) and I'll say it again, just to be safe: the Operator version of Lance is one of the physically strongest Foxes in Zootopia. He has to be, in order to go paw to paw with the different mammals in Zootopia if need be. Now, he is by no means the strongest** ** _Canid_** **, just one of the strongest Foxes. Wolves and Coyotes are naturally stronger, and Operators are no different. Yes, Negotiator was a reference to CodeOne and his Hunter Series, but she's a one-off character only intended to be a reference. Juggernaut too, but he's more obscure since I didn't name him. Both of them are referencing Anila Tavi and Hunter (I forget his first name), and the only reason I made Juggernaut a Wolf was because it seemed more fitting for the reference. The next two Chapters are going to be particularly bloody, so look forward to that. And yes, the Operators keep their armory weapons fully loaded normally. They never know when they'll be called out, so they view it as being easier than loading them either along the way or before they leave. It's a time thing. Anyway, this is getting long enough, I will see you guys...next update. Word Count: 5,591**


	40. Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night

**Hey guys Price here and welcome to Chapter 39 of Zootopian Assassins! I've done a bit of searching and asking, and I've decided that the songs Explode and Not Afraid To Die by Written by Wolves are the songs that should be listened to during the action sequences in this Arc, while Pretty Lies is pretty good for Lance in this Arc, also by Written by Wolves. Good songs, highly recommend them. This Chapter will feature the beginning of Lance's Roaring Rampage of Revenge against the Templars while next Chapter will tie it up, so I hope you guys like it. The thing at the end of Lance and Nick's little fight last Chapter was indeed Nick giving up on Lance. Up unto that point Nick has thought that Lance could be stopped. When Lance tried to kill him for getting in the way he realized that he truly was no longer savable. I'll have a short bit with Nick thinking on that this Chapter to kind of pad out the length and not seem like I'm dragging out the scenes with Lance. The part with Negotiator last Chapter, and Lance's kindness to her, was set to contrast his brutal killing of Recon. And yes, Recon was a Templar spy, which is why he fought back instead of pleading his case. Also, there's a playlist that lance uses while setting up a few things, which I'll list down at the end of this Chapter after the end Author's Note if you want to see what songs he was listening to. Anyway, that's enough of that, I think it's time to get...onto the story!**

Nick hissed when Judy dabbed his forehead lightly with cleaning alcohol, Judy sending him an apologetic glance. Both of them were on the hood of their police cruiser, Nick sitting on the edge and Judy standing next to him.

"I can't believe he actually tried to kill me." Nick said sadly, Judy pausing for a few seconds before sighing.

"Nick, I told you, he's too far gone. He has been for a long while. Probably since his mate was killed and he was offered revenge." Judy said, Nick lowering his gaze and hanging his head ever so slightly. "I mean, seriously, did you really think he would hear your request to just come in by nodding and saying 'sure, let's go' when he was as close as he is to getting what he wants?" Judy asked, Nick nodding slightly.

"I did. The Lance I know _would_ have, Judy, that's the thing. He isn't thinking straight. He's consumed by the prospect of revenge and I am _scared for him_." Nick said, Judy blinking. A thought crossed her mind. It wasn't a very comforting thought.

"Nick, do you...do you still love him?" She asked nervously, Nick blinking. It was obvious he had _not_ been expecting that question.

"Uh, well, I...I don't know." He answered after a moment, averting his gaze to the side. "I mean, we split on good terms and with a mutual agreement it was for the best, but we didn't fall out of love." He added, Judy looking hurt by the words. He backtracked quickly. "I mean, I'm not going to _cheat_ if that's what you're worried about. Sure, maybe I do still love him in some small part of myself, but we haven't seen each other in years, Judy. He's changed so much I don't think I could bring myself to get closer to him than as a friend. Especially now." He said, gesturing to his head angrily.

"I told you, Nick, and I will tell you again: Lance is _not_ savable. Maybe at first, but not any-"

"I know that, Judy! I nearly had the proof of that lodged in my skull!" Nick shouted, Judy blinking in shock. Her nose began to twitch and Nick's expression softened in guilt. "I'm sorry. It's just hard to deal with this right now." He apologized, Judy nodding as she looked away. "We have to at least try, though, Judy. I at least owe him that much."

"Nick, he nearly _killed_ you!" Judy protested, the Todd sighing.

"I know that, Judy. Maybe he isn't savable, but I can't let him get killed. I'd never forgive myself if I didn't at least try to keep him alive." Nick said, Judy hesitating to reply. She finally nodded.

"Alright. We'll try." She said, Nick smiling thankfully. "First, however, some rules. Number one: if he draws on us, neither of us will hesitate to put him down. Number two: if he's too injured when we get to him, neither of us will hesitate to put him out of his misery. And number three: if he asks me to, I will put him down." Nick looked shocked at her words, his eyes wide and mouth parted slightly as he stared at her. "I'm sorry, Nick, but he's rabid right now and I don't want somebody like him running around. Now, I need to know something, Nick."

"I'm not going to put my friend down just because he asks me to, Judy. _Especially_ not if he can be saved." Nick said angrily, Judy sighing.

"There's a difference between physically and mentally saving somebody, Nick. I would think you'd know that." Judy remarked, Nick blinking in shock. His lips drew back in a snarl.

"How dare you, Judy. If you want to give up on him, fine. You do that. But I'm not going to! I will do everything in my power to save him. That's my job." He said, pushing off from the hood of the car and walking off with a huff. Judy stared after him with a sad expression.

"Sometimes, Nick, you can't save somebody no matter how much power you have."

Lance fished into his pocket offhandedly as he tweaked the wire system he'd set up with a pair of pliers. He opened his music library and scrolled through his playlists, then selected the one he was looking for. He set it on a crate next to him as music began to play.

After about forty minutes and a single loop of the playlist, Lance stood from where he'd been crouching for the past two hours. He raised a detonator and depressed the button on top, nine resounding clicks making him grin. He let his thumb up off the button and the wire moved again. He went about setting the rest of his contraption up. He didn't press the detonator, however, as he needed to conserve it.

Lance picked up his phone as he pocketed the detonator in an empty pouch and walked out of the room. He glanced back briefly, then shut the door behind him as he made his way to the next room.

Lance placed the now considerably lighter duffle bag down onto the ground next to him as he crouched down and inspected the floor. He looked around at all the abandoned crates and paint buckets, then grinned as an idea formed.

Lance began shifting things around to where he wanted them, and when he was done he felt quite proud of his idea. He opened the six crates he'd moved and placed a Claymore into each one, having faced all the crates towards each other in a relatively straight line fashion that vaguely resembled a path. He placed two empty paint cans at the end of the path and at an angle, then carefully placed a Claymore into each one. He repeated this action with two other empty paint cans on either side of the door, also at an angle. He linked the claymores to a second detonator, then stepped out of the room and shut the door. He chuckled to himself as he made his way down the hall a bit and entered a third room with duffel bag in paw.

Lance set down the duffel bag and pulled a few of the C4 bricks he'd taken from Home out, glancing up at the lights on the ceiling briefly. He would have to short circuit them to make sure this worked.

Lance began to set the bricks down in an irregular pattern, though in a way so that their damage fields overlapped. He linked them up to his third spare detonator, then nodded to himself as he picked up the duffel bag and stepped out of the room. He made sure to shut the door behind him.

Stepping into the forth and final room, Lance glanced around with a small frown. He glanced up and noticed a catwalk system up above, near the ceiling, and he grinned as an idea came to mind.

Stepping out of the room with the duffle bag over his shoulder, Lance walked around until he found the door he needed and didn't hesitate to open it. He ascended the stairs he found until he reached the right floor and stepped out of the door. He placed the duffle bag down and began to pull gas grenades out, setting them down on the grating and tossing the empty duffel bag down and into the middle of the room. It would do good to have something to attract the targets from the door.

Lance beamed at his accomplishments with his traps, glad his rather rudimentary skills at jury rigging things was enough for what he needed. He was still beaming as he walked out the door and down the stairs, then down the hall to the monitor room he'd found. Apparently, the building had been a place with enough resources to warrant security cameras. He'd have to get them ready for use.

Several hours after walking off, Nick sat in the warehouse serving as the Brotherhood's headquarters while Lumi, who had agreed surprisingly quickly to meet him there, wrapped his wound with gauze. Apparently she kept a large amount on her 'for emergencies'. Nick suspected said 'emergencies' involved her and Is being playful.

"So, mind telling me why you agreed so readily to meet me here?" Nick asked, Lumi glancing down at his eyes with humor in her own as she lightly patted the gauze on top of his wound. Nick hissed.

"You mentioned Templars." She answered, Nick rolling his eyes. "Well, you know, and helping a friend of yours." She added, almost like an afterthought.

"You've met him. He's the Todd you had a scuffle with almost a year ago." Nick said, Lumi blinking.

"Huh. Should be fun, then." Lumi remarked as she finished wrapping the gauze and stepping back to look it over. She nodded and Nick stood, rolling his shoulders. "Though it'll have to wait. That wound of yours needs a bit before you can safely do whatever." She added, Nick grumbling under his breath but nodding nonetheless.

"I should probably go, then. I'll meet you in a few hours so we can get ready." He said, Lumi nodding.

"I'll tell Sven." She said, Nick blinking in surprise. Lumi seemed to realize her mistake and sighed. "He's been coming out a lot more often lately. Since me and him went on that Contract." She explained, Nick nodding in understanding.

"What'd you do to make him so pissed off at you, anyway?" Nick asked, Lumi flinching at the question. Before Nick could retract it, however, she spoke.

"Sven is a mammal who believes in cleanliness and efficiency, and everyone in the Brotherhood knows that my style is the complete opposite. I'm messy and brutal. It's just how I am, down inside." Lumi began, Nick remaining silent despite the thoughts in his head. "When we went on the Contract, our target was a Kit Fox. I killed her early on and didn't tell him until the building was nearly empty of life." The Arctic Fox Vixen finished, Nick blinking in surprise.

"So he's upset that you kept that from him?" Nick asked, Lumi sighing and shaking her head.

"No, Nick, he's upset because we 'needlessly murdered mammals we could have spared'. 'Saved their families from the pain'. Things like that." Lumi answered, scoffing quietly. "Right, because they really deserve to be spared."

"As much as I may agree with that notion, Sven has a point." Nick said, Lumi blinking in shock at the words. "Sure, they're Templars and we can't let them live, I understand that, but he's right in that you're taking things too far. If you kill your target quickly, don't worry about the others. Just get out. Not doing that has almost gotten you killed already, and there was nothing you could do to stop that. Next time it could get your mate killed." Nick said, Lumi just staring at him in shock, her eyes wide and mouth parted slightly. After a moment, she turned her head away in shame.

"I can't, Nick. It just feels wrong. They're responsible for so much suffering, it doesn't seem right to let them off easy." Lumi said, Nick remaining silent for a long moment as he stared at her in curiosity.

"Is this about Fantasma?" He asked, making Lumi gasp quietly and turn to face him. Her wide eyes and the olfactory change told him all he needed to know. "Lumi, it's been more than a year. You need to let it go." Nick said, Lumi blinking in shock.

"You know, under normal circumstances, I would have long ago. I know the consequences of war." Lumi said, Nick tilting his head. "But I met his kit, Nick. I had to see it up close, and I just felt this rage I'd never felt before take hold of me. He was so closeted, and it scared me. I don't want Aukusta to grow up to be like Fantasma's kit. Killing as many Templars as I can today ensures there are less to do me or my mate harm tomorrow." Nick's expression softened in understanding, and he nodded slightly.

"I understand, at least somewhat. You're scared a Templar will get lucky and that Aukusta will grow up to resent either the world or whichever one of you survives." Nick said, Lumi sighing in relief.

"Thank you. Now if only I could get Sven to understand that." Lumi said, Nick smirking that 'I know something you don't' smirk of his. Lumi narrowed her eyes slightly.

"Oh, something tells me he understands, and likely has for awhile." Nick said, Lumi blinking in surprise.

"What tells you that?" She asked, Nick just smiling lightly in response.

"Just a hunch I've got." He said, Lumi frowning at the answer but not verbally responding. She rolled her eyes in a mix of amusement and annoyance.

"Right, well, I hope you're right. It's getting difficult just hearing him open his mouth." Lumi muttered, Nick sighing.

"Come on Lumi, don't tell me you honestly never expected to survive without having at least _one_ fight with your mate." He jested, Lumi shrugging.

"I suppose not. Wish it were possible, though." She responded, Nick nodding.

"Agreed."

Lance reached forward and tapped the power button to the back of monitors in front of him, waiting to see what would happen. After a few seconds they lit up and he grinned, letting out a small laugh. What were the chances this place would still have power?

He hoped his luck held out.

Lance pulled his phone from his pocket and tapped on the contact number for the phone the female Templar had given him a few months prior.

" _Operator Whitney, how are you? I heard there was an attack earlier today on your headquarters."_ Lance huffed.

"Yeah, everyone but Recon – he's an Ocelot – managed to survive though. Seems they just wanted some stuff from our armory, though I don't know what they have in mind for it." Lance said, a hum of surprise coming from the other side of the line.

"Odd." The mammal remarked, Lance grunting in agreement. "There must be another reason you're calling, however, otherwise you would have reported back earlier."

"Yeah, hey, do you think I can borrow a few squads worth of mammals? I'd like to show them how to fight better." Lance said, silence stretching for an excruciatingly long moment. Finally, she spoke.

"Sure. I'll send...four. How's that sound?" Lance grinned to himself, though managed to hide it as he replied.

"Four is fine." He answered casually.

"Alright. I'll be sending them soon." The mammal said, Lance humming acknowledgement. The phone clicked to indicate the call had ended, Lance pocketing the electronic and remaining silent for a long few minutes in thought before a grin split his muzzle again. A slow and deep chuckle slowly began to rumble from his throat, Lance's chest rattling lightly as the chuckle slowly got louder. He tossed his head back as it erupted into a manic laugh to make Crispin Furman blush, his eyes wide as his cackles flowed from the room and through the building.

As the manic laughing began to die back down into a chuckle, Lance took a deep breath as he finally fell silent. A grin fixed itself to his muzzle, however, apparently unwilling to leave.

"I look forward to greeting them."

It wasn't until one in the morning that Lumi found herself looking down at the entrance to a building from across the street with Nick and Judy on her right.

"Bogo said shots fired about an hour ago, right?" Lumi asked, Nick nodding confirmation.

"Let's go. We might be able to put a stop to this before it's too late." Judy said, Lumi glancing at her briefly. She didn't like the implications of those words.

As the three of them began to descend and crossed the road, Lumi paused at the door. She sniffed the air, prompting Nick and Judy to look at her in surprise and curiosity.

"That's a lot of blood."

Lance watched the screen in front of him as the four squads worth of mammals entered the building. He checked his phone for the time.

 _'Ugh. It's already twelve in the morning.'_ He thought with annoyance, shaking his head lightly as he grinned. He watched as they walked into the rooms in investigation, then tapped the button for the room to lock down. He'd discovered that the building had metal blast doors for sealing off rooms recently, which he would use to full effect.

Lance pulled the first detonator from his vest and switched the cameras to the first room. He grinned when he saw one of the mammals pick up one of the paint cans in curiosity. He clicked on the intercom for that room.

"You know, you really shouldn't drink so much, you'll be unsteady. One might even say you'd be...legless." He clicked the detonator and watched as the Claymore mines detonated.

Bodies were torn apart from shrapnel as blood splashed and limbs were removed. The poor mammal who had picked up the paint can had their head pulped in an explosion of brain matter and skull.

A few mammals weren't as lucky and only got taken out at the legs, though they would bleed out extremely quickly due to the large – and large amount of – blood vessels in the legs. His eyes flitted around, searching for his target, and he found her clutching a stump that had once been her left leg. Her maw was open in an extremely likely caterwaul. A few seconds later the sound reached his ears and he stood with a dark chuckle.

 _'That was a good one.'_

The metal door blocking the entrance opened and Lance stepped into the room. The female mammal turned her head in surprise, only to gain a sudden look of terror when she saw him.

"Why hello, there." Lance said smoothly, his tone soft and comforting as a mother's embrace. The female mammal visibly shuddered at the dissonance with his tone and the horror around her. "You like my joke? Clever, wasn't it?" Lance asked, a smug grin set on his muzzle under his mask.

"Uh, y-yeah." The Tigress agreed, swallowing nervously as she stared at Lance. He squatted down in front of her.

"Glad you thought so. Listen, so, I need some information regarding your boss. Think you can tell me what I want to know?" Lance asked, the Tigress nodding.

"A-anything." She said, swallowing, and Lance let an amused huff escape him.

"Good. Alright, first thing: where is she at right now? Second: how many mammals are guarding her? Third: ...do you know where I can get some food at this hour? I'm starving." The Tigress blinked at his third question, but nonetheless cleared her throat to answer.

"As for location, she should be at the warehouse you met her at last. She doesn't ever leave that location unless necessary. For your second question, there will be at least a few dozen, since she's a high priority investment for the Templars." The Tigress paused to think. "As for your third question, I recommend going down to the closest pharmacy, asking for something called-" Lance dug a thumb into the bloody stump of her leg, eliciting a screech of pain from the Feline.

"I've seen that series. Nice try, though. It was clever." He said, standing up as he stretched. The Tigress glared at him, but said nothing through her grit teeth. Lance stepped past her, making her blink.

"You're just going to leave me?" She asked as she struggled to turn. When she did she came muzzle to barrel with one of Lance's HK45s. She gasped in surprise as Lance pulled the trigger. As she fell back he stepped forward and planted a hind paw on her chest, firing two more shots into her skull just to be safe.

Lance stepped from the room as he holstered the sidearm and stepped up to the next room. He listened intently to see if he could pinpoint the mammals.

After a few moments he realized it was the room with the gas grenades above and grinned.

Stepping through the door leading to the catwalk, Lance made no move to hide his presence from the mammals. His feet hit the grating with audible sounds, he hummed to himself nonchalantly, and he even cleared his throat as if trying to get rid of phlegm.

"Hey! What are you doing this for!?" One of the mammals shouted, Lance leaning over the railing slightly.

"Why? Well, that's a surprisingly easy question to answer. You see, that boss of yours killed my mate, who _just so happened_ to be pregnant with my kit. Then she made the mistake of promising me revenge when, in reality, there was no chance I would ever get it. Well, as you can see, I've decided I don't really like that." Lance answered, chuckling lightly, almost as if trading amusing stories with an old friend. He picked up two gas grenades and pulled the pins. "By the way, you wouldn't happen to enjoy the smell of HAL-Zero, would you?" Lance dropped the grenades.

"B-but that's a bioweapon! There's no way you have that!" One of the mammals shouted in panic, the group dispersing quickly as the grenades hit the floor and a lime green gas began to fill the room.

"Oh really? Because it seems like I do." Lance said. He pulled the pins on the rest and dropped them as well, spreading them out with light tosses to make sure there were no safe areas in the room. He turned and walked out the door and began to descend the stairs. He reached down and pulled the gas mask from his belt, placing his ballistic mask in its place and putting the gas mask over his head. He activated the filters, then opened the door and stepped into the room.

Lance strode past various convulsing mammals, all jerking about on the floor as the toxins began to act. A few screamed in pain as the gas attacked the nerve clusters and made them feel like they were internally combusting. Others had their jaws open in silent wails of terror and agony as they clawed at themselves, as if trying to retract from the pain by creating more. It wouldn't work.

Lance came to a stop next to his target, reaching down and gripping the Tanuki by the collar of their shirt. He dragged them towards the door and easily threw them out, sending them a good distance across the hallway towards the opposite wall. He approached, shutting the door behind him.

"W-w-wait, please! I-I-I'll tell y-you ev-everything!" They begged, Lance tilting his head.

"Why do you think I pulled you from the room?" Lance growled, the Tanuki blinking.

"A-alright. W-what d-do you w-want t-to know?" They asked, Lance grinning slightly beneath his gas mask.

"I need everything you have on your boss. Where they live, her troop strength, _everything_." Lance said, reaching into his webbing and pulling a clear vial into view. "Do that, you get this."

"W-what is it?" The Tanuki asked. Lance would have to give him the credit he deserved; not many mammals were able to speak _simple_ words with the dose he had received from the gas grenades, and yet here he was, giving Lance full sentences with only a few stutters from pain and fear.

"Oh, this? This...well, a _cure_ or _antidote_ would mean what you have is a virus or other illness. This flushes the toxins from your body within two hours, with symptoms gone within ten minutes, at most. Depends on your species and your size." Lance said, shaking the vial back and forth slightly. "Now, _about those requests_..."

"Ah, r-right. Most likely, you'll have to deal with eight dozen, maybe ten dozen mammals. Salem's a high ranking official in the Templar ranks. The Grandmaster is taking no chances-"

"Wait, hold on, go back. Grandmaster?" Lance asked, tilting his head. The Tanuki hesitated and Lance tightened his grip on the vial slowly but visibly.

"A-alright! Alright! Salem is only in charge of our security. She orchestrated the death of Operator Stone, but she was under orders to do so!" The Tanuki explained, Lance's empty paw twitching in barely suppressed anger at the words. He gripped the Tanuki's webbing and heaved them up, then turned and walked through the door leading to the stairs. He ascended slowly, though more to instill as much fear as possible than actually being overly encumbered.

Lance opened the door to the catwalk and shoved the Tanuki against the railing threateningly.

"You are going to tell me _everything_ you have on this Grandmaster of yours. If you leave out a single detail, I will skin you alive and wear your pelt like a trophy, and then I will send you back to your family in bloody chunks, _**am I clear?**_ " Lance threatened, the Tanuki nodding vigorously. "Good. Now talk."

"I-I can't tell you much, as only the mammals responsible for things like security and recruitment, among other things, are allowed to know who we're working for." Lance narrowed his eyes dangerously, silence save for terrified whimpers from the Tanuki reigning for a long moment.

"Alright. I believe you." Lance said, holding the vial out to the Tanuki. They hesitantly took it, then glanced at the covering. Lance took the distraction to reach down and quickly grab the Tanuki by the ankles, then lift and send him tumbling over the edge. He screamed as he fell, before crying out in pain when he hit the floor. The screeches came soon after as more and more of the gas entered his body.

Lance turned and walked down the stairs, moving to step past the door before stopping in consideration. It was likely the cops would be arriving within the hour, and there was no way the gas would disperse by then. He frowned, then sighed as he went to work on a warning.

Eventually, Lance was able to find a large enough piece of paper and a pencil, surprisingly, but he wouldn't question it. He even managed to find some tape.

Seemed his luck was turning around after all.

Lance stuck the note to the door, then turned and made his way to the third door. He opened it and almost immediately was dodging a paw. He didn't manage to avoid it entirely, however, as the mammal managed to get their paw on his tactical webbing. He was pulled through the door and thrown away, sliding to a stop with a pained groan. He raised his gaze to realize he was surrounded by _very_ angry looking mammals. He quickly glanced around, then took a silent breath of relief when he saw it wasn't the room with the C4. He covertly pulled the correct detonator from his webbing as he raised his paws in apparent surrender.

"Hey, open your paws!" One of the mammals ordered, Lance grinning under his mask.

"Enjoy some lead poisoning." Lance remarked as he opened his paws to reveal the detonator. He clicked it and the wall to his right suddenly disintegrated as gunfire erupted from his trap. He lay there calmly as he watched the mammals get torn to bloody pieces as bullets filled the air. It wasn't until nearly ten to fifteen seconds had passed that the gunfire ceased entirely and Lance could safely stand. He looked around and grumbled when he realized his target had perished in the barrage, then turned and walked out the door. He technically had all he needed, but he wanted to get as much as possible.

A glance at the clock, however, made him sigh. He raised the last detonator and clicked it, the explosion rattling the building as the bricks of C4 detonated and – hopefully – killed the rest of the Templars.

Returning to the monitor room, Lance quickly shrugged the ammo pack onto his back and raised the M249 with an audible grunt. The equipment was _heavy_.

Lance walked out the door and placed the weapon and its ammo pack in the passenger seat of the armored van he'd appropriated for his adventure, then moved around and climbed inside the driver's seat. He had somewhere to be.

 **And that does it for Chapter 39 of Zootopian Assassins! I hope you guys enjoy this, because I know I enjoyed writing it. Playing on Lance's innate sadism (the 'deliberate cruelty' side, not the other side) that doesn't get to be shown off all too much is a real fun time for me, as I will showcase as brutally as possible next Chapter. Expect me to get detailed with wounds. The reason I didn't here was because I was almost done with the Chapter by the time I started his rampage, so I didn't want to fill up the space with mostly just gory detail and all that. Also, hope his Pre-Mortem One Liners were enjoyable. And yes, the nerve gas I demonstrated was written as realistically as possible. I even got help from Quora in the form of a friend of mine who asked a question for me, which is what I got the name HAL-Zero (stylized and written as HAL0) from. It stands for High Anguish Lethality Zero, though the 'Zero' part isn't technically correct. It** ** _will_** **kill you, it just takes a long while. It wouldn't be very productive for your prisoner to die in the middle of an interrogation, would it? Anyway, this has gone on for long enough, I will see you guys...next update. Word Count: 5,302**


	41. Into The Last Good Fight I'll Ever Know

**Hey guys Price here and welcome to Chapter 40 of Zootopian Assassins! I hope you guys enjoy this Chapter because it is going to be** ** _violent_** **. Maybe not as much as it could be, but it will not be clean on gore. The first part covers Nick, Judy, and Lumi finding the aftermath of Lance's traps from last Chapter, then a long cut to Lance, a short cut back to Nick, Judy, and Lumi going to where he is now, and then the rest of the Chapter follows Lance up until the end. Please do not hesitate to offer a critique of my work. I can't get better unless people tell me what I'm doing wrong. Anyway, that's enough of that, I think it's time to get...onto the story!**

"That's a lot of blood." Lumi said as she sniffed the air, Nick doing the same in curiosity. He grimaced, then nodded. "What did that friend of yours do?" Lumi asked, glancing at Nick.

"I guess we'll see." He answered, opening the door and letting Lumi go in first with her sidearms drawn. She was the best option for clearing, since she had the ranged weapons and was also proficient in close quarters combat.

"Clear." She called, Nick and Judy moving through the door. "You know, Nick, you really have a thing for picking psychos." Lumi remarked, Nick blinking in surprise and tilting his head in obvious confusion.

"I'm...sorry?" He said, not quite understanding if she was joking or not.

"Takes a special kind of mentality to do something that leaves enough blood to make somebody with a strong stomach sick." Lumi explained, Nick frowning.

"Yeah, well, he wasn't like this when I knew him." He defended, Lumi huffing.

"I know." She said, moving further into the building. Nick and Judy exchanged glances, confusion in their eyes, then followed with small shrugs.

Lumi paused at the first door she found, tilting her head at the note she found. She holstered her Walther and pulled it off the door. She jumped when the door thudded, her eyes wide as whimpers of pain reached her ears.

"You find something, Lumi?" Judy asked, the Vixen holding up the note with clear confusion.

"A note. _'Attention, don't open the door. HAL-Zero is in effect.'_ What's HAL-Zero?" She said, Nick's eyes widening.

"Wait, what? HAL-Zero?" He asked, his tone carrying slight fear.

"Yeah, that's what the note says." Lumi answered slowly, clearly more confused.

"HAL-Zero is that nerve gas that was stolen from the Operators. It's...um...High Anguish Lethality Zero, I believe they said is what it stands for, though the name is misleading. They warned that it can and will kill with a high enough dose, but is usually safe in smaller doses, save for the pain it causes." Nick explained, Lumi's eyes widening as she took a step back from the door.

"How long does it take to disperse?" She asked, Nick pausing to think.

"I don't know. Why?" Nick asked. In response scuffing came from the door, making Nick and Judy jump slightly in surprise.

"There's somebody alive in there." Judy whispered, her shock quickly replaced by determination. She approached the door as if to open it and was only stopped when Lumi wrapped a paw around her upper arm. In and of itself the act wasn't what stopped her, it was more the fact that Lumi was stronger than her.

"If what Nick says is true, we can't open that door." She said calmly, her voice betraying no emotion. Judy stared at her in surprise.

"But-"

" _ **Leave them**_ , Hopps." Lumi said, Judy blinking at the tone. "We don't have the counteragent with us anyway, so it's unlikely we could save them if we tried. Plus, they're likely Templars." Lumi explained, Judy sighing in defeat after a moment of consideration.

"Alright. Alright! Let's go." She said, Lumi letting her go hesitantly and taking a step back to see what she would do. Judy turned and walked over to the next door, opening it and freezing at what she saw. "Oh my god." She whispered in horror, taking a step back in obvious fear. Lumi and Nick both stepped forward in morbid curiosity, looking over the Rabbit's head and into the room.

What they found nearly had both of them sick. Bodies lay strewn in a bloody mess, most missing a single or both legs. One was missing most of their head, likely from taking whatever had killed the others directly to the skull.

"Jesus Christ..." Lumi muttered, wondering what had done all the damage in the room. Most of the mammals probably hadn't died quickly, either. They'd likely bled out slowly as they screamed in agony; the lucky ones probably went into shock or lost unconsciousness from the sudden pain.

"Did _anybody_ survive?" Judy asked in horror, both Lumi and Nick shaking their heads.

"He killed them all." Nick answered in a whisper, his voice carrying the horror he was feeling deep down. Lumi felt concern well up inside her; the Todd was seeing first paw that the mammal they'd cared for was able of such cruelty...it was enough for any sane mammal to slip.

The three of them backed out of the room and shut the door, Judy turning and leaning against it for a moment to recover.

"You know, if this is what Lumi's like on her Contracts, I think I understand why Forensics and Crime Scene Investigation suddenly hates going to crime scenes involving the Brotherhood." Nick remarked, Lumi frowning.

"I am not like that!" She defended, Nick and Judy both arching eyebrows. "Most of the time." She added. "Maybe some times." The other two still looked skeptical. "Okay, fine, yes. That's more or less what I'm like."

"Yeah we kinda figured. It takes a lot to unnerve Forensics and C.S.I. so it was pretty obvious." Judy said, Lumi crossing her arms and pouting.

"I hate both of you." She muttered, Judy and Nick rolling their eyes.

"Sure you do." Nick remarked. Lumi ignored him.

The three of them checked the last two rooms, finding what looked like swiss cheese and body parts in one room with a lot of gun smoke, suggesting there had been a number of firearms used. A quick investigation revealed nine different weapons all hooked up to some kind of string device that fired them by pressing against the triggers quickly and with enough force to fire the weapon.

The last room found them staring at a collection of different body parts all strewn around randomly, the scorch marks on the ground suggesting explosive devices being used. There were legs and arms and toes and fingers and heads lying all over the room, implying a lot of power behind the explosives.

"Well, I guess you can't say he wasn't thorough..." Lumi commented, Judy rolling her eyes while Nick just grimaced.

Lance parked the van across the road from the building he was given, opening the door and hopping down. He walked around the armored behemoth and opened the passenger door, pulling the M249 and the ammo pack down. He shouldered the pack with a grunt, then picked up the large machine gun. The belt port had been heavily modified so as to allow for the insertion of the loading mechanism of the backpack, which was more or less a smaller version of the kind used in portable miniguns that could be used by Canids, though obviously intended for use by Wolves, Coyotes, and Coywolves instead of a Fox and similarly sized Canids. He made it work, though.

Lance crossed the street and didn't hesitate to kick open the door. He wasn't planning to make this stealthy anyway.

He wasn't disappointed.

Lance quickly pulled back and turned, his back to the wall, as multiple automatic weapons opened fire on the door. Bullets impacted the bricks, the door, and the road and buildings in the paths of the bullets that made it past the door and into the free air.

A bullet tore through the bricks next to Lance's head, though the Todd ignored it as he waited for an acceptable amount of weapons to run out of ammo. It took about all of four seconds.

Lance turned and stepped into the door, hefting the large weapon in his paws and bracing himself.

"Oh, _sh_ -" Lance pulled the trigger and was rewarded with the room ringing with automatic LMG fire, interrupting the terrified Templar. He swept the weapon back and forth for maximum effect, though at the risk of pushing himself off balance.

Bodies jerked as they were hit by bullets that tore chunks from them; a few unfortunate mammals with thin frames had an arm or leg blown off in a burst of blood. An Antelope's arm flew through the air, spinning as the former owner of said arm screamed in pain, clutching the stump that had once been an arm.

Lance took a difficult step forward, the recoil from the large gun nearly knocking him back. He took another, then another, then stopped. He only wanted to get a bit closer.

The gun suddenly let out a _click!_ to show it was empty and Lance blinked in surprise. He hadn't realized so much time had passed that it ate through all the ammo in the pack. He recovered quickly and shrugged off the backpack as quickly as possible and dropped the gun. He charged forward as he drew his HK45s and leapt up and onto a crate, pushing off from that and sailing through the air as he flipped. He landed and rolled, coming up on his knees and using the hard plastic to slide across the blood slicked floor, dragging a single foot briefly to get a slow spin going. He extended his arms and fired the pistol in his left paw when a target came into view. When that clicked empty he switched and turned his head to the right in order to continue shooting as he reloaded.

Lance suddenly stopped as a Wolf grabbed the back of his armor, tossing him away. Lance arched his back to flip and landed on his feet, sliding a few feet as he raised his sidearms and fired. He took the Wolf out quickly, then turned and fired at whatever target presented itself until no other mammals moved.

Lowering his sidearms slowly, Lance glanced down at them briefly. He was surprised to see that the one in his left paw had taken a bullet to the slide.

 _'Jesus, I didn't even feel it get hit.'_ He thought in surprise, then let out a huff as he tossed it away. Not like it would be of any more use to him anyway. _'Let's end this. I need to apologize to everyone at Home anyway.'_ Lance turned and kicked open the door, only to find a Wolf leaping at him with a large knife raised above their head, ready to swing it down. Lance leaned to the side to dodge it, but he didn't lean far enough. Pain exploded in his head as the large blade tore into something, and only a second later Lance found out what it was.

An ear suddenly appeared in Lance's line of sight to his right, distracting him briefly as the Wolf's arm continued in its arcing path. It took Lance a few seconds to realize it was _his_ ear. He growled in pain and anger as he spun and delivered a sweep to the Wolf's legs. The larger Canine yelped as they fell backwards, the noise cut off before it could finish as Lance shoved his gun's barrel into the parted jaw and fired. Skull and brain matter spilled onto the floor as Lance snarled at the dead Canine before pulling the gun back and shaking it as he stepped through the door.

As Lance stepped into the room on the other side, he became aware that the room appeared to be empty as his ear shifted slightly more into his line of sight.

"Now that just isn't going to do." He said as he reached up and felt where his ear had been cut, noticing the skin connecting it was way too thin to allow reattachment when he wrapped up his mission. He grabbed the ear and yanked, wincing in pain as the final thin string of skin holding the ear to his head was pulled apart. He tossed it away offhandedly before turning back to the room's apparent emptiness. He sniffed the air, then grinned when he realized the room wasn't _quite_ as empty as his sight told him.

Lance pointed his gun in the air and pulled the trigger, waiting for a few seconds. A body fell next to him with a crunching sound that told him several bones had been shattered from the impact.

"He's onto us! Fire!" Somebody shouted as Lance reached down and raised the body. It would only take so many hits before it simply fell apart, but hopefully it would take enough hits for him to survive the attempted ambush. The room exploded with gunfire and the corpse Lance held over him as he crouched down jerked as bullets slammed into it. Blood rained onto both Lance and the floor along with chunks of flesh as Lance grit his teeth against the ballistic plating doing its best to protect him from the bullets that impacted it. With the corpse suddenly becoming lighter, Lance growled in annoyance at feeling warmth on his hind paws that told him the corpse had been cut in half by the gunfire, spewing its insides onto the ground. He tossed it away with relative ease as he took off in a dead sprint and leapt behind cover behind a stack of crates. He stayed low to the ground as he balled up and placed his paws over his head. He blinked when pings reached his ears, and he looked up only to deadpan when he saw the bullets were impacting the crates, but not coming out.

"Oh you have _got_ to be kidding me right now." He remarked as he realized what was happening. It was like a real life example of a brick joke, albeit a _useful_ brick joke but a brick joke nonetheless. "How many bulletproof crates do these guys have!? And why!?"

Unfortunately, reality chose that moment to showcase exactly what happened when an object took enough kinetic hits to itself, especially when it could move. The top crate began to wobble as it shifted before gravity took hold and toppled it. Lance yelped and rolled to the side to avoid being crushed with a quickly said "oh my god" as the crate slammed to the ground with a resounding _boom!_ that made Lance's ear hurt and his head ring. What was in those crates!?

The gunfire ceased and Lance perked up with a grin. He quickly stood and raised his remaining HK45 and pulled the trigger. It clicked and his eyes widened in surprise that the slide hadn't locked back before he noticed the sound of slides being racked and he ducked back down as gunfire resumed. He reloaded his pistol as he placed his back to the crate with a bored expression. He waited for the gunfire to abruptly cease again, then stood. The gunfire resumed immediately and he was knocked back as multiple impacts collided with his chest, making him fall back as he winced in pain.

 _'Okay, these Templars actually have intelligent life amongst their ranks. I guess that's...good?'_ He thought with a growl as he shuffled back against the crate. His ear twitched as faint paw steps reached him, making him grin. He reached down and pulled the Arsenal Firearms AF2011A1 from his leg holster, then crossed his arms as he pointed the pistols to the sides. The gunfire ceased.

"Paws where I can see them!" A mammal to his right shouted. Lance turned his head to the right, saw the Marten wielding a Stechkin APS, then turned to his left to see a Coyote pointing an assault rifle at him. The rifle seemed to be a Heckler and Koch HK416, something the Todd had plenty of experience with. He grinned.

"Alright. Here's my paws." He said as he whipped his paws out to the sides, a gasp of fear escaping the Marten as he opened fire. The Marten's head was obliterated by the twin .45ACP bullets while the Coyote seemed more inconvenienced. Lance fired again and the Coyote's head jerked back as he fell. The gunfire resumed almost immediately and Lance grunted in annoyance as he holstered the sidearms. He waited for a few seconds, then rolled to his left and came up with the HK416 in his paws. He used the muzzle flashed to sight and fire, taking out five different shooters before they realized he'd moved. He turned and leapt back behind the crate, crouching down before glancing at the dead Marten's Stechkin. He picked it up, grinned, then stood and sprinted to his right, aiming the automatic pistol with a sideways grip in the general area of the shooters as muzzles flashed and pulling the trigger. He used the recoil to aid his arc as he swung his arm slowly, a few muzzles disappearing as – he assumed – some of the mammals were taken out.

The Stechkin clicked empty and he tossed it away, then slid to a stop and took aim with the HK416 he'd held in his other paw. He fired a single shot at each muzzle flash as quickly as he could, but even he was outmatched by the rapid gunfire still filling the room.

A bullet impacted his back, making him stumble forward at the sudden impact before another bullet impacted his chest armor and sent him sprawling onto his back. He groaned in pain even as he raised the HK416 and continued to fire.

Time seemed to pass quickly as Lance fought on, eventually dumping the HK416 and drawing his HK45. He managed to take out the rest of the shooters, but at the cost of a single digit on his left paw. Luckily it was his furthest one from the rail of a pistol, and would only impede his shooting ability slightly.

Lance wobbled unsteadily as adrenaline in his system crashed and made him suddenly aware of the bruises his body would undoubtedly suffer from the different hits he'd take and likely would continue to take. He took a deep breath and turned towards the door leading further into the building, a single thought reaching him through the unsteady haze; it drove him onward, despite knowing that it was false.

 _'So close. End this, and I'll have my justice. I can go back. I can be forgiven for everything. I'm justified.'_

Deep down, he knew the entire thought was a lie. He would never recover from this. He wouldn't have any closure. He would never be seen as justified. Perhaps the worst, however, was the fact that, no matter what he did or said from then on, would be that he'd never be forgiven. They'd say he was, but he knew nobody would forget what he'd done to them in order for something as petty as revenge. Nick, especially.

That reality hurt more than could be described by any number of words.

Nick looked down in surprise as his radio chirped an alert as he stepped from the building. He depressed the button on the side as he raised it to his muzzle.

"Wilde here, go ahead." He said, releasing the button as Judy and Lumi both turned to look at him.

" _Nick, there are reports of a large amount of gunfire coming from a building about a mile away from you. Automatics, semis,_ everything _is being reported except for explosions."_ Clawhauser announced, making the trio of mammals blink in surprise. Nick opened his mouth to respond, but was cut off as Clawhauser continued. _"Oh, wait, never mind. Just got a report of a few explosions."_ Nick groaned, not even realizing his paw had reflexively depressed the button.

"Lance really is making a mess of things." He grumbled, shaking his head.

" _Who?"_ Clawhauser suddenly asked, Nick blinking in surprise.

"Um, the mammal we're after. He's an old friend of mine. The one who attacked the Operator headquarters." Nick answered, silence stretching for a long moment.

" _About that, who attacks Home aside from the crazies? That's just asking for trouble."_ Clawhauser jokingly said, though Nick found himself unable to speak in surprise at the words. Judy took the radio from his paws before he could angrily reprimand the friendly Cheetah.

"Clawhauser, the Todd's an Operator. He wouldn't exactly be out of place there." Judy said, awkward silence reaching them over the radio.

" _Oh. Well, I suppose you have a point. Good luck. Clawhauser out."_ Clawhauser said, the radio going silent. Judy tossed the radio over her shoulder to Nick, who caught it with a thankful smile

"Let's go. We need to put an end to this." Judy said, the words making Nick's smile disappear.

Lance ducked back around the frame of the door as the grenade he'd kicked back went off, the Todd wincing at the explosion. He raised his HK45 and turned into the frame as he crouched, firing rapidly and taking the three Templars out at the knees. He rushed forward and leapt into the air, kicking one away with a harsh blow to the head. He landed and turned, shooting a Hart that was barely holding itself up in the head before continuing his turn and delivering an elbow to the muzzle of a Gray Fox Todd and sent him stumbling back. He shot the mammal he's kicked in the chest three times, then grabbed the Gray Fox and tossed him against the wall.

"W-wait-" Lance cut the todd off with a blow to the head that made his head impact the wall with a crunch. He raised his sidearm and pulled the trigger, splattering the wall with blood and skull and brain. With a dismissive snort he turned to head further into the room onto to be slammed into by a rather large force. He busted through the wall with assistance from said force, then went flying and skidding across the floor. He wheezed in pain as he slowly raised his head to see a Rhino staring at him from the hole in the wall.

"Aw crap." He muttered as he forced himself to a stand, blood still dripping from his severed digit. He looked down at his pistol, then huffed in annoyance when he saw the slide and barrel was bent. No way he could fire it now without blowing the gun up in his paw, which would be an absolute _treat_ to deal with when he was already missing an ear and a single digit, along with multiple bruises on his body under his armor, not to mention the inevitable blood loss he'd face if he continued to be wounded.

The Rhino took a step forward and swung, Lance quickly turning in an effort to dodge. Unfortunately, he didn't dodge fast enough and the swing connected, Lance's head jerking to the side as his mask shattered and pieces of it fell to the ground. Lance reached up and tore it off with a snarl of anger.

 _'I liked that mask!'_

The Rhino swung again and this time Lance was able to dodge, ducking and spinning to the side. He leapt up and gripped the Rhino's horn, then used that to swing himself up. He quickly drew his Chiappa revolver and didn't hesitate to unload the cylinder as fast as the gun would allow into the Rhino's skull. He briefly noted the irony of using a Rhino to kill an actual Rhino, then leapt off the large mammal and landed on his paws. He tossed the used and empty revolver away, having no further use for it, as the Rhino fell to the ground dead.

Lance gazed at the dead Rhino for a long moment, wondering if he had any family that would miss him, then grunted and turned around. He walked through the hole in the wall and glanced around, then walked through another door and blinked in surprise when he found the female mammal he'd been looking for lounging in a chair facing the door. He narrowed his eyes as he looked around without moving his head, knowing there was no way he'd killed all the Templars.

"Well don't just stand there, Lance. Come on in!" The mammal invited, though Lance hesitated still. "Don't worry; you have my word there are no other mammals in the room. Just me and you." She said, Lance huffing but stepping into the room nevertheless. He didn't trust her, but something told him she was telling the truth.

As Lance approached, the mammal just lounged there lazily, radiating confidence that made Lance stop. What was it she'd said? No more _mammals_?

With a gasp of shock Lance turned quickly just in time for a large King Cobra to strike and sink its fangs into his neck.

Lance let out a "tch" in anger as he drew his knife and brought it up quickly. He decapitated the Snake and ripped the head off his neck, tossing it away. He turned quickly only to be slugged in the face and sent sprawling to the ground. He clutched at his throat as he raised his head to look at the mammal with disdain clear. Both knew he didn't have long to live.

"You...I'll kill you." He ground out, the mammal actually _laughing_ at the words. Lance growled in anger as he struggled to sit up. He raised himself to a stand and raised his tanto. He took a step forward and moved to lunge forward, but the sound of something landing behind him made him turn. A Komodo Dragon crouched before him, Lance's eyes widening in shock. The Lizard raised a shotgun to Lance's shoulder and fired before he could react, the round tearing through the armor and his arm, sending it flying through the air as he screeched in pain. The Komodo wasn't done, however, and twirled. Its tail slammed into Lance's side, sending him flying.

Lance skidded to a stop a considerable distance away, the Todd jerking in pain as his shoulder poured blood. He slowly and painstakingly raised his head as the Komodo approached threateningly. Lance quickly drew the Arsenal Firearms AF2011A1 and didn't hesitate to empty the clip. The Komodo was jerked as fourteen .45ACP bullets slammed into their scales. They stood there for a moment when the firing stopped, then toppled backwards.

Lance dropped the gun and, with excruciating pain, forced himself to a stand. He shuffled towards the mammal with a crazed look in his eyes, pleasure coursing through him at seeing genuine fear enter his target's eyes. His chest was heaving as he struggled to breath, and his overall appearance would be enough to send any sane mammal running back to their mother, no matter their age. The female mammal took a step back and bumped into the chair they'd been occupying. They looked down in surprise and Lance took his chance.

Lance painfully drew his combat knife and lunged quickly, sinking the blade into the mammal's throat up to the hilt. They gurgled for a few seconds before pain exploded in Lance's side. He didn't have to look to know he'd been stabbed. He knew the feeling _very_ well.

Lance pushed away from the mammal and let them fall as he stumbled back, looking down slowly to see his suspicions confirmed. A blade was lodged in his side, between his ribs, and he let out a short chuckle before the sound of hurried paw steps made him turn. He stared in shock at the sight that greeted him.

"Oh my god, Lance..."

Nick rushed through the building at the sound of pained screeches, ignoring Judy and Lumi's cries for him to wait. Seven gunshots rang out rapidly and he ran faster, fear making him ignore the various bodies and amounts of blood and gore he found.

"Nick!" Judy shouted from somewhere behind him. Nick ignored her.

Nick pushed open the door the screeches and gunshots had come from to see something he'd never expected to see: Lance stood in the center of the room, missing an ear and an arm, plus a single digit on his left paw and a knife in his side, stared down at the body of a female mammal. He turned as Nick took a step forward.

"Oh my god, Lance..." Nick whispered, his eyes wide. Lance smiled warmly at him, standing there for a long moment before his legs began to shake and he collapsed. "Lance!" Nick shouted, rushing forward and sliding to a stop next to him.

"Hey there Nick." Lance said with a small and short chuckle. He winced. "Sorry you had to see me like this." He said, gesturing to his wounds.

"It's okay. Come on, Lance. Let's get you out of here." Nick said as he shuffled to the side and lifted Lance before the Todd could argue.

"Nick, no. Leave me." He said, Nick blinking in surprise as he turned his head to Lance. "I've been tagged in the throat by a King Cobra. I won't live long enough with the venom, combined with my blood loss, to get to a hospital." He explained, Nick's eyes widening on horror.

"No, don't say that. You'll be fine, I promise." Nick said as he shuffled both of them towards the door.

"What'd I tell you last time I saw you, Nicky? Don't make somebody a promise if you know you can't keep it." Lance said with a short chuckle, Nick blinking in confusion.

"Lance, that was years ago. When we broke up and I told you I would come back for you when I cleaned up." He reminded the Todd, Lance blinking in surprise before his expression softened in acceptance.

"Ah, right. Hey, speaking of which, you ever do that?" He asked, clearly delirious from blood loss. They entered the large room where Lance had had a large shootout with a high amount of mammals, the Todd looking around briefly.

"Yeah, I did. Been a cop for a few years now. Got partnered up with that Bunny officer. Officer Hopps, you remember her?" Nick asked as they stepped outside to see Judy and Lumi having some kind of argument. When Lance didn't answer he turned to look at him. "Lance?" He said when he saw the Todd's head was hanging limply. "Hey, buddy, stay with me." He said, desperation creeping into his voice.

Lumi glanced over when movement caught her attention, her eyes widening when she saw Nick quickly set a horribly dismembered Red Fox Todd on the sidewalk.

"Oh my god..." She whispered, Judy turning in curiosity only to gasp in shock. Nick tilted the Todd's head back and parted his jaws, then pressed his paws to his chest and began to push down. The cracking of breaking ribs reached them.

"One, two, three! Come on Lance, stay with me!" He said loudly as he leaned down and blew air into the Todd's mouth. He raised himself and resumed compressions. Judy approached slowly and hesitantly. "Come on, Lance! Come on, _come on,_ _ **come on**_!" Nick screamed desperately, Judy laying a paw on his shoulder.

"Nick, stop." She said softly. The Todd ignored her and continued his movements. "Nick, he's gone." She tried, a little louder this time, but Nick ignored her still. "Nick, he's dead!" She shouted, the Todd whirling on her.

"I know, Judy!" He screamed, the Doe taking a shocked step back. There were tears in Nick's eyes and his voice was choked up with emotions. He turned back to the dead Todd and leaned over his body, tears falling freely as he let out a scream of despair and heart wrenching sadness. "It's not fair. He got what he wanted. He was _done_." He said between his shudders, his arms shaking as they strained to hold him up. Judy and Lumi remained silent, allowing him to grieve to himself even as police sirens forced Lumi to leave.

Several weeks later found Nick sitting on the ground across from a tombstone marked with Lance's name on it late into the night. He sighed sadly as he slowly stood. He'd been there for a few hours already, just sitting there, staring at the slab of marble, as he did often. Judy had been worried the first time he'd done it, but understood. Or at least she tried to.

Nick raised the hood on his Brotherhood garb as he turned and began to walk away.

He had some business to take care of.

 **And that does it for Chapter 40 of Zootopian Assassins! I hope you guys have enjoyed this Chapter because I certainly did. Yes, I planned for this ending the entire time writing this Arc, though Lance's wounds changed over time. But he was always meant to die at the end, I assure you, as well as get his revenge. Many things in this Arc changed during writing it, actually, but most notable are how Lance killed the Templars last Chapter as well as the wounds he received this Chapter. Tell me what you thought, because I** ** _really_** **want to know. I tried to make as many things as realistic as I possibly could, up to how long it would take Lance to die from a throat bite from a King Cobra (most likely minutes; I couldn't find a definite source), though the speed was drastically sped up due to his massive blood loss. Obviously, however, I had to take** ** _some_** **Artistic Licenses. Also, if I may ask, there's a TvTropes page for Kinesis Chronicles. Please do contribute to it if you can, as well as the page for this story I'll likely start and work on in my spare time. Anyway, I think this is getting long enough, I will see you guys...next update. Word Count: 5,747**


	42. Talks, Consequences, and Regrets

**Hey guys Price here and welcome to Chapter 41 of Zootopian Assassins! I hope you guys have been looking forward to this, because I certainly have. The whole thing with the Operators isn't done yet, as the whole thing with Lance clearly impacts them both emotionally and physically, as they lost a valued member of their family as well as an** ** _incredibly_** **strong member to fight against the threats they are called for. Actually, this Chapter is largely about them and Bogo talking various things over. The scene somewhere near the beginning showcases just how hard they've been hit. Few are thinking rationally, and the ones that** ** _are_** **are emotionally drained to the point of not even caring to show the respect they're expected to show to other mammals, both Operators and regular police. Overall, they've more or less lost the will to care at the current moment. Anyway, this is getting long enough, I think it's time to get...onto the story!**

Chief of Police Adrian Bogo was _not_ a happy Water Buffalo. Only two weeks prior he'd had to deal with the fact that an Operator – an extremely skilled and valuable one at that – had gone rogue simply to get some petty _revenge_. That, combined with the fact said Operator had used a _biological weapon_ in the process, was just the icing on the cake.

To make things worse, the Commander of the Operators, Kate "Akimbo" Wu, was being rather...difficult to work with. Which brought him full circle and back to the current conversation.

"Listen, Bogo, as I've told you _time and time again_ , Lance was hardly in a stable frame of mind during his...episode. I am hardly to be blamed for the fact he couldn't control himself." The female Timber Wolf remarked as she sat in her chair. A few other Operators, namely ones who had been close to the rogue Operator, were also in the room. They are glared at Bogo with obvious disdain for his apparent lack of respect for their deceased comrade.

"Of course you are to blame, Commander Wu! You flat out admitted you did nothing to discourage Whitney's plan! I could have you arrested for this!" Bogo said, Kate's eyes losing their playful sparkle at that. She smirked ever so slightly.

It reminded Bogo of Officer Wilde.

"Let me make this clear, Adrian. I didn't do anything to discourage Lance because I knew he wouldn't listen. It'd have been a waste of both our time. The Todd, may he rest in peace, was driven. It'd be like a Mouse trying to restrain an Elephant affected by Night Howler." She said, Bogo's eye twitching at the explanation.

"Then that's your own fault for accepting somebody so reckless and incompetent they won't follow orders if they disagree with them." Bogo snapped, the entire room going dead silent save for Bogo's heavy breathing. The sound of knuckles popping broke the silence and Kate leaned forward, murder in her eyes.

"I think you need to leave." One of the Operators said, beating her to the punch. Bogo turned to his right to see a male Tiger staring at him with hatred.

"Excuse me?" Bogo said, unsure if he'd heard the Tiger right.

"I said _you need to leave_. Don't make me ask again." The Tiger answered, his tone making it obvious he believed he could make Bogo leave if he wished. Both of them knew the other Operators would assist if the Tiger needed them to.

"I don't answer to you." Bogo said angrily, the Tiger looking unimpressed by the Water Buffalo's threatening look.

"And I don't answer to you." The Tiger shot back casually, glancing around the room. "None of us do. We let you in because we knew this talk would have to happen eventually. You've overstayed your welcome by insulting our comrade and his memory." He added, Bogo grunting dangerously as he stared the Tiger down.

"Your _comrade,_ as you call him, was a psychopathic murderer!" Bogo said, the Tiger's eye twitching in response as his gaze hardened considerably.

"He's still our comrade and friend, and you would be wise to remember where you're standing when you insult him." The Tiger said, Kate sighing.

"Hassan, enough." She said, the Tiger snapping to attention.

"Ma'am." He said, snapping off a quick and respectful salute. Bogo turned to Kate.

"Tell me something Bogo; you ever seen Black Lagoon?" Kate asked, Bogo pausing to think. The name sounded familiar.

"Unfortunately." He answered after a moment. Kate grinned.

"Think of us Operators as Hotel Moscow, while the regular ZPD is more like the Triad. I'm Balalaika, you're Chang. We're both powerful, but we both know that while you handle some of the heavy stuff, we're the ones who deal with it when you can't. While we couldn't independently start and win World War Three like they could, we could still reduce a fair portion of this city to rubble if we so desired. But we're the good guys, so we can't do that. We _can_ , however, hold out on our own by simply scavenging what we need from the criminals we kill...like we usually end up having to do!" Kate said, suddenly shouting the last eight words. Bogo actually flinched slightly, then cleared his throat quietly.

"Are we really having this discussion? Now?" He asked, Kate arching an eyebrow. "Alright, guess that's a yes. Operator Wu, I've told you time and time again the ZPD does not control your budget! That's the Mayor's office! If you have a complaint, take it up with them and not me when we're discussing what I should do with you for allowing your subordinate to go on some kind of rampage!" Kate growled low in her throat, more in annoyance than actually threatening him, but it got the message across.

"Please, you know I can't stand those idiots. I'd probably end up some kind of criminal by simply stepping paw in the building, even completely naked without a single weapon within a five mile radius of me. As for Lance's little adventure...like I said. We all tried our best to stop him when he came for those weapons. He's the best at close quarters fighting out of all of us for a reason. We also found out why he killed Zeke." Kate said, Bogo blinking in confusion. "Recon, sorry. The Ocelot."

"Oh? Do tell." Bogo remarked, Kate chuckling in amusement.

"You know that 'gang' war you've been investigating that was the cause of death of two of my Operators? Yeah, turns out he was a Templar, which _just so happened_ to be the group responsible for Laura's death and Lance's rampage. You wouldn't happen to have the names of any other Templars, would you Adrian? I mean, you _are_ helping the Assassins, after all." Kate said, Bogo freezing in surprise at the words.

"I'm afraid-"

"Nice try, Bogo. As much as I may not like you-"

"The feeling is mutual."

"I _do_ know you aren't that incompetent. You are well aware of everything I'm insinuating." Kate finished, Bogo staring at her for a long moment before sighing in defeat.

"Very well. No, I do not have the names of any other Templars with me. All I get from them is assurance my officers won't be harmed by them. Any _actual_ information is incredibly rare." Bogo said, Kate remaining silent as she narrowed her eyes slightly, tilting her head as she stared at him.

"Alright." She said, glancing towards the other Wolf in the room. "Jug, can you go get that thing we talked about for me?" The Wolf nodded and turned, walking out the door. Kate turned back to Bogo. "You know, Adrian, Lance was genuinely a good mammal before Laura was killed. While I do not condone what he did, I do understand why he did it. She was everything to him. He lived and breathed for her, it seemed at times, and over time...the best way to describe it would be like Officer Wilde suddenly changing from that snark beast to a mammal who does nothing but be respectful, all the time. It was a complete personality shift." Kate said, Bogo remaining silent at the wistful look in the Timber Wolf's eyes. Before she could say more, the other, male Wolf walked back in and handed something to her. She thanked him with a dip of her head and held it out for Bogo to take. He did so, blinking in surprise at what he found waiting for him.

Three photos, side by side, sat in a picture frame. On the left was one of Operator Whitney in full Operator gear, ballistic mask in place, and an overall rather _threatening_ feel to the picture. The empty 'angry serial killer' look in the eyes certainly helped. If what he'd heard was true, that look had been Lance's default expression.

The picture on the right was of another Operator – clearly a Vixen, so most likely Laura – with a sniper rifle slung over a shoulder and a bored expression on her face. Her green eyes, however, were full of a mix of relief and horror. It was a strange mix to see, and Bogo assumed she had just finished her first call.

The picture in the middle, however, was some of the largest contrast Bogo had ever seen. Lance, sans Operator gear, was laughing at something the Vixen – Bogo still assumed she was Laura – had said, a happy and carefree expression plastered in the moment the picture had captured. Both were dressed in casual wear, with Lance wearing a rather form fitting emerald green shirt with black highlights and cutoff gloves while Laura wore an ocean blue-green shirt and with deep blue highlights. The dissonance between them and their pictures with Operator gear on was...surreal, to say the least.

"This...these are the same two mammals?" He asked, disbelief in his voice and expression as he looked back up at Kate.

"Believe it or not. Lance was a totally different Todd when he met Laura, Bogo. While I am by no means saying he did the _morally_ right thing, I do think he did what was best in some form. He did what any other of us would have done, given the chance. He had every right to seek what he did, if not legally then in some way. I refuse to believe he did the wrong thing." Kate said, Bogo slowly glancing back at the photo. Both Operators certainly seemed happier than in their individual pictures, almost as if being in the presence of the other lightened their lives and their burdens considerably.

"I'm sorry, but I'm still not convinced Lance did the right thing." Bogo said, Kate looking surprised by his admission briefly before a soft, almost deceptive smile rested on her muzzle.

"Tell me, Adrian, if you had a mate who was pregnant with your kit, only for them to be suddenly and violently murdered, and I gave you the chance for revenge by putting you in the same room as their killer with a loaded gun in your paw while you were still grieving, can you honestly tell me you wouldn't kill them? Because Lance never got past the grieving stage. He never let go. It clouded his mind. The guilt, the desperate need for something to release his anger over said guilt on, the whole shebang." Bogo was silent for a long moment, finding Kate's question suddenly and surprisingly difficult to answer.

"I...would do the right thing." Bogo finally answered, Kate huffing lightly.

"What if I told you that the killer would get no more than ten years, if you're lucky, because there was almost no evidence save for a single camera shot that showed them in the same area as the murder, but you knew, _you just knew_ , they were responsible? What would you do then?" That question was considerably more difficult to answer. Eventually, he sighed.

"I suppose, with that kind of knowledge, I would be tempted to do what Lance did. But not on that kind of scale. I'd leave everyone else alone if possible." Bogo finally answered, Kate grinning an extremely tiny grin that almost went unnoticed.

"Good. Now put yourself in Lance's paws. You've just lost everything you had. Your mate and your unborn kit have just been murdered because you asked them to accompany you to some scouting mission. After a while, you find out the mammal responsible was the one who offered you revenge with the intention of stringing you along until you were no longer useful to them. Your only reason for living anymore is to get the revenge you were promised, no matter the cost. You have the resources to make everyone responsible for your suffering pay. That's what Lance's thought process was." Kate said, Bogo finding the fact that she knew _exactly_ what had been going through Lance's mind a little odd.

"How exactly do you know Lance so well?" He asked, Kate chuckling.

"Well, Bogo, not all of us can maintain professional detachment like you do. Some leaders like to get to know the mammals they're asking to risk their lives. Especially when they consider each other to be family." Kate answered, sending the Bovine a small smirk. "If I'm being honest, I'm rather disappointed in how you act with your officers. I get it isn't easy losing the mammals under your command, but I still believe you should be a parental figure to the mammals under your command. While it might make losing them all the harder, you cherish the memories you make with them more. I should know, since I've tried both approaches and I've made more and better memories with my Operators since I started treating them like family. Just a suggestion." Bogo huffed in amusement at that, then sighed lightly.

"You didn't answer my question, at least not directly." He observed, Kate chuckling at that.

"Well, if you really want to know, it's because Lance and I talked a lot. As I do with all my Operators, Lance and I had sessions where we'd sit down and just talk. Whatever came to mind was fair game for discussion. One day, shortly after Laura was murdered, he just...broke down. God, I can remember it like yesterday because he's normally so...stoic, I suppose would be the most accurate word. I knew he was affected badly by it, but that...that was something else..."

 _Thirteen Months Prior_

Kate stared in shock at Lance as he suddenly, out of apparently nowhere she could see, lost all composure and started crying as he leaned forward and put his head in his paws. She remained silent as he began to pour his heart out.

"I...I just can't stop thinking about what might have happened if I hadn't asked her to come with me, Kate. It haunts me, it haunts my dreams, and nothing helps! I've tried _everything_ I know to help me sleep! Sometimes I get there just in time to see her die, sometimes I'm forced to watch it happen, other times I get to see it from her killer's point of view and...I can't. I just can't deal with this, Kate." The Todd cried, and Kate remained stuck in shocked silence. She silently stood and approached Lance, crouching down in front of him. She reached out and pulled him from the chair and into her arms, unable to say anything to comfort him that wouldn't come across as her just trying to seem like she was trying to pity him or something.

Lance let Kate pull him into her arms, knowing she only wanted to comfort him as best as she could and wouldn't expect anything else to come of it. She remained silent as she reached up behind him and gently stroked the back of his head comfortingly, Lance's paws gripping the front of her shirt as he cried.

"We're here for you, Lance." Kate said quietly, the Todd nodding ever so slightly to show he acknowledged the words.

"I don't know what to do, Kate. I'm scared." Lance said, Kate feeling genuine fear grip her at the Todd's words. Of any two words she'd expected to hear come out of his mouth, 'I'm scared' was nowhere near the list. The thought that Lance was scared of something like this, even for how important it was to Foxes, had her worried.

"Hey, Lance, trust me when I say that we'll do our best to help you get through this. No matter how long it takes, you're family, and we don't turn our backs on family. No matter what they do." Kate said reassuringly, the words getting a small smile from Lance.

"I know. I just wish I could be stronger than this." The Todd remarked, Kate chuckling lightly.

"It's okay to be weak, Lance. You can't be strong all the time, and you shouldn't feel like you have to be." The words got a soft huff of agreement from Lance, but otherwise he remained silent for a long while as they sat there, still wrapped in each others' arms in the only comfort available.

 _Present Day_

Kate sighed sadly even as a soft smile touched her muzzle, the memories of all the good times the Operators had had both before and during the time Lance and Laura had been together flittering through her mind.

"If you're quite done reminiscing, we still need to find some kind of agreement." Bogo said suddenly, Kate scoffing at the words despite knowing them to be true.

"I'm not condemning Lance's memory, Adrian. I refuse to let him be labeled as some kind of monster when he was only doing what he thought was needed." The female Wolf said, Bogo sighing.

"Kate, I understand that, but we both know there's no way anybody who knows about him will be happy with letting him off the hook simply because he didn't know how to grieve properly!" Bogo said, the words causing Hassan and Juggernaut to growl angrily and warningly at the large Bovine.

"Stand down, both of you." Kate ordered, the Operators begrudgingly doing so after a moment of hesitation. It didn't stop them from glaring, however, and Bogo found their anger unnerving. "Now listen to me, Bogo. I don't care if we have to start some kind of war, I will _not_ allow Lance's memory to be sullied. You point out a flaw, we'll make a counter. We're family here, Bogo, and we don't turn our backs on family." Kate said, Bogo glancing at Hassan and Juggernaut to try and gauge their reaction to the comment he was about to make.

"Even when they do?" He asked, the room going deathly quiet at the question. The look on Kate's face went from shocked to angry and then to sad.

" _Especially_ when they do." Kate answered, casting her gaze down briefly.

"Except Recon. He can burn." Assault remarked from the corner, Kate dipping her head in agreement.

"Right. Traitors and spies are a whole different matter." Kate said, Bogo finding the words oddly amusing in a weird way. "But, back to the matter at paw, you have my answer Adrian. I won't damage Lance's memory."

"Very well. I suppose I'll see what I can do to lessen the damage, then." Bogo said as he stood from his chair, the Operators all blinking in surprise at his words.

"Wait, what?" Hassan asked, looking perhaps the most confused out of all the mammals.

"It's obvious you all care about this. I think the relationship between the ZPD and Operators is strained enough as it is without this." Bogo explained, Kate's expression softening in gratitude.

"Thank you, Adrian. It means more than you could know." Kate said, the Water Buffalo smiling faintly at her words.

"I have an idea, Kate. I'll be seeing you soon." He said as he walked out the door, a chuckle escaping the female Timber Wolf after the door closed.

"God, where did we go wrong?" She said quietly, shaking her head.

"Ma'am?" Juggernaut asked in confusion, not quite sure what she was referring to.

"Me and Adrian. We were close friends before I became an Operator. We worked together better than anybody during training, but...I was selected. I just couldn't refuse the chance to be an Operator. He didn't quite understand, and ever since we haven't gotten along all too well. Conflicts of interest, petty arguments, things like that." Kate explained, Mike chuckling nervously.

"Sounds almost like you two were together." He remarked, Kate arching an eyebrow in surprise before shrugging.

"Who knows, perhaps it might have happened given enough time. I certainly wouldn't have held it against him for liking me. I know full well the heart isn't always in agreement with what you think it should feel." Kate replied, Mike blinking in surprise before chuckling again, though less nervously than before.

"That'd certainly be something to see, wouldn't it?" He asked in amusement, gesturing towards the door. "Chief of Police Adrian Bogo walking around with Commander Kate Wu of the Operators." A pause as if he was thinking about something. "Not gonna lie, I think that would work. I mean, you both got a stubborn streak to match." Kate chuckled at that.

"Ah, sorry Mike, but he's already got somebody. Plus, it's a bit late now." She said, the Bengal Tiger huffing in amusement. "Alright, if we're done making pretend matchmaker, you can go now. I'm sure you all have something to do." Juggernaut was quick to leave, surprising the gathered mammals, before Kate chuckled. "You'd think he was hunting Negotiator with how often he stares at her."

"Wait, what?" Hassan asked, blinking in shock at Kate.

"Isn't it obvious? They clearly have a crush on each other." Kate said, surprised that Hassan was surprised. She'd thought it was obvious.

"Huh, didn't know that." Hassan admitted, then looking alarmed by a sudden thought. "Wait, Juggernaut is a Wolf..."

"And Negotiator is a Mongoose..." Mike trailed off, the two Felines' faces scrunching up.

"Oh _no_." They both said, Kate chuckling lightly at their apparent sudden realization of size factors.

"Alright, alright. So size is a thing that will get in the way. That's not what matters; what matters is that they genuinely like each other enough to be fine with that." Kate said, the Tigers glancing at each other and shrugging ever so slightly. "Go on, I'm sure Amelia and Autumn are waiting for their calls." She said, both Tigers blinking.

"Wait, you're in a relationship?" They both asked as they faced each other. "Uh, yeah. You didn't know?" Once more both spoke at once, making them both frown.

"Well this is entertaining." Kate quipped, the Tigers glancing at her, then back at each other, then shrugging and walking out of the room. Kate leaned back in her chair, staring at the ceiling as she wondered what she could do to pass the time.

After a long moment, she stood and walked out of the room, turning left and making her way to the stairwell. She ascended slowly, one step at a time, until she reached the roof. She walked over to the spot she, Mike, Hassan, and Lance had shared after he'd returned the day Laura had been killed, turning and leaning her lower back against the wall with a sigh.

 _'Lance, you bastard. Leaving us to deal with your mess.'_ Even as the thought crossed her mind, despite the playful nature she meant it with, she immediately felt guilty that she'd even thought it in jest.

Kate let herself slide to her rear, tucking her knees against her chest and wrapping her arms around her legs. She lowered her head, frame shuddering as her exterior shattered and sobs escaped her.

It was like she'd told Adrian; she hadn't just lost an Operator under her command. She'd lost a brother and a sister in the span of a single year, when the normal death rate of an Operator was one every few years, if that.

For the first time since she'd been given the rank of Commander, Kate Wu wondered if she was really cut out to hold the position when she couldn't even keep two Operators alive. It didn't matter she didn't have control over the circumstances, she still felt like she had failed them somehow.

Lumi stared down at her mate as he stared up at her, both possessing blank expressions as they waited to see who would move first, as they stood in the center of their apartment. Eventually, the Hare's mouth twitched and he looked down, towards the ground.

"I'm sorry." Sven said, Lumi smiling slightly down at him.

"I know. I'm sorry I upset you." She said, the Buck huffing lightly as he shook his head.

"It's not your fault. I just...wanted to think you were better than that, but then I realized that wasn't it. That was never it. You _are_ better than that, Lumi. I just didn't want to accept that you were right because it clashed with my method. You were never at fault." Sven said, Lumi blinking in surprise, then chuckling.

"Oh, I disagree. I upset you by keeping information from you, and I put both of us in needless danger. I say I don't _want_ to do so, and then I go and do just that. So I'm sorry for that." Sven rolled his eyes in amusement, a short chuckle escaping him.

"God, we're pathetic. No wonder Is hates me right now." He remarked, Lumi chuckling at the words.

"We may be pathetic, but I like to think that's what makes us perfect for each other." Lumi said, Sven shrugging slightly as he glanced towards the hallway.

"You're probably right." He agreed, Lumi following his gaze and then glancing back down at him with a toothy grin. She squatted down in front of him to eye level.

"What do you say we...pass some time?" She asked, the Hare grinning in response.

"I think that sounds wonderful." He answered, the two turning and walking towards their room. Lumi shut the door and locked it behind her, then turned to face Sven with a hungry grin and head tilted ever so slightly, eyes half lidded.

"Don't go changing on me like last time, alright? It's a bit awkward." She said, the Hare chuckling.

"Oh I know. I was the one who woke up." He said as Lumi lowered herself to four paws as she climbed onto the bed, leaning forward and pressing her muzzle to his as he leaned back.

Jacob looked at the dossiers in front of him in curiosity, three marked out with large red Xs to indicate the mammal was taken down, as he rested his head on top of his tented paws and a small frown on his muzzle. He'd only gotten back to Zootopia recently, having left in order to get information from a... _contact_ in Fangley.

It'd been deceptively easy to find them, amusingly enough, let alone... _retrieve_ the information.

 _'The Wolf and Kit Fox were killed by Lumi and Danny and Lumi and Sven, respectively, while Salem was killed by that Operator, Lance Whitney. That just leaves Sofia, and then the mammal at the top.'_ The Wolf thought to himself, standing from his seat on the sofa and walking over to the small indentation in the wall a few feet away. He reached out and grabbed the large caliber rifle, slinging it and tightening the strap. He turned to leave, then paused and looked back at the large assortment of blades. His mouth parted in indecision, then closed with a twitch of the lips that formed a small grin for a short amount of time. He reached out and pulled them free, sheathing them on the large amount of sheaths that adorned his outfit.

Jacob pulled himself up over the ledge of the building, swinging his legs up and over and to the roof. He loosened the strap on his rifle and lay it down, then reached back and raised his hood. It'd fallen back while he was climbing.

Jacob lowered the bipod on his rifle, placing the legs on the edge of the building and reaching up to adjust his scope. He made sure to keep his eye back a bit from the scope; he didn't want to get cut like the first time he'd fired the gun.

With his scope focused, he adjusted his footing to a more stable position to wait for his target to show up. He didn't have to wait long before the Leopard appeared, and he grinned.

It was time for the Butcher of Berlin to go to work.

 **And that does it for Chapter 41 of Zootopian Assassins! I hope you guys have enjoyed this little thing, because I certainly enjoyed writing it. No, I didn't** ** _intend_** **for Jacob to have a moniker when I first created him, it just kind of happened when I wrote the scene. Next Chapter isn't going to showcase** ** _how_** **or** ** _why_** **he has that name, as it focuses on something I doubt anybody expected to happen. There is a lot of death, though, and Jacob does make a brief appearance at the end. Speaking of Jacob, he's more or less the Wolf equivalent of Lance when it comes to skill with knives and close quarters combat, but his** ** _main_** **skill is sniping from a distance, hence why he has a weapon that can kill from a mile away if it has to. So his Contract won't really be shown very much, aside from short cuts away from the main action, but that's because it's not actually important to the plot. It's more or less tying up loose ends at this point. There will be two more action scenes this Arc, though; one with the final Contract and one the last Chapter before the Epilogue. Anyway, this is getting long enough, I will see you guys...next update. Word Count: 5,084**


	43. Attack

**Hey guys Price here and welcome to Chapter 42 of Zootopian Assassins! This Chapter doesn't** ** _really_** **tie up the thing with the Operators, but it ties up a majority of things with just about all of them. It also showcases each of their skills about as well as the circumstances will allow, so I hope you guys like it. The main fight is largely inspired by the fight between Red Team and Atriox in Halo Wars 2, so if you guys recognize any of the moves and actions, that's why. Also, this isn't related, but I literally just saw Alien: Covenant as of writing this bit, and holy hell that was trash. Was incredibly disappointed, mostly because the Protomorphs were dealt with...relatively easier than in the original Alien. The Neomorphs were the antagonist for most of the movie until the Protomorphs appeared, and overall it was a terrible movie and I highly recommend skipping it. Also, real quick, but the beginning of this takes place after the majority of the Chapter, with the rest being flashbacks and the like. Anyway, this is getting long enough, I think it's time to get...onto the story!**

Kate opened her eyes slowly, thankfulness that there were no lights shining in her eyes being the first thought that crossed her mind as she slowly sat up. She winced as pain flared in her shoulder, chest, and her leg when it shifted.

"Hey, lay back down. You need to keep still for a bit longer." An unfamiliar voice said, Kate turning her head in curiosity to see a male, black furred Gray Wolf staring at her with concern in his eyes. She pushed the stuffy blanket off herself.

"Who're you?" She asked, looking around. "And where am I?" The Wolf hesitated, then averted his gaze away from her in clear embarrassment. She looked down and stiffened when she saw her outfit was nowhere to be seen. She looked back at the Wolf to demand an answer, only to be greeted by a blanket. She took it and held it against herself with a clearing of her throat. The Wolf hesitantly glanced back at her, saw she was covered, and turned to face her.

"My name is Jacob. As for where you are, you're currently in a safehouse of mine. And the reason for your outfit missing is because I had to remove it to check for injuries, and it was too damaged to salvage." He explained, Kate arching an eyebrow. "I assure you, Kate Wu, if I had any ulterior motives I wouldn't have left you unrestrained. I'm not some stupid fictional character." He said, Kate grunting after a moment.

"Alright. Why am I here?" She asked, the Wolf blinking in surprise at the question.

"You don't...remember?" He asked in slight alarm, Kate's face scrunching in confusion as she lowered her head in thought. Her eyes widened as recollection suddenly slammed into her, a sob escaping her as she raised a paw to her maw.

"Oh god. Oh god, no." She whispered, her other paw clenching as she lay back slowly, the male Wolf closing his eyes at the words.

"That's what I was afraid of." He said quietly, standing quietly and walking away to leave her alone.

Kate closed her eyes as sobs continued to wrack her frame, memories coming to the forefront from the previous night.

Kate hummed to herself cheerfully as she leaned back in her chair, hind paws perched on her desk as her thoughts flittered around randomly. She turned her head as a muffled howl reached her ears, then chuckled as she realized what it was.

 _'About time they hooked up. Only been a year and a half since they started sneaking looks at each other.'_ She thought with amusement, her chuckle breaking into a full on amused laugh. She shook her head lightly.

Suddenly, the lights cut out and she perked her ears, eyes wide in surprise, as she turned her chair and pulled her hind paws down off her desk. She approached her door cautiously, wondering it a storm had hit the electrical grid, then chastised herself with the thought that she would have heard a storm. Besides, there wasn't anything scheduled last time she had checked the weather.

Hassan suddenly opened the door and stepped inside, making her yelp in surprise and jump back. He held up a placating paw.

"Hey, it's okay. Just me." He said, Kate huffing in amusement at her nerves acting up on her like they just had. "You know what's going on?" He asked, Kate shaking her head.

"No, I'm just as clueless as you are. There weren't any storms on the forecast an hour ago, and I _know_ it isn't the electrical company. Our bills are handled by City Hall." She answered, the male Sumatran Tiger frowning. He opened his mouth to say something when a terrified screech cut through the air and made him turn. It suddenly cut off almost immediately, Hassan turning back to Kate. She turned and rushed over to her desk, picking the radio off the corner and raising it. "Mike, get whoever you can and come to my office, now!" She ordered.

"Right away, Commander." The line didn't disconnect, however, and Kate waited. "That screech. It sounded like Infiltrator, ma'am." He said, Kate sighing.

"Yeah. Assume the worst until contact is made." She said, Mike sending confirmation before the line disconnected and Kate clipped the radio to her belt. She looked at Hassan. "Let's hope he gets here quick. Something tells me we'll need weapons of some kind." She said, Hassan glancing towards the wall opposite from her door briefly.

"How thick is the wall again?" He asked, Kate blinking when she realized what he was suggesting.

"Too thick for what you're suggesting. It's reinforced, same for the glass." She said, Hassan grumbling at her answer. He opened his mouth to say something when the door opened and Mike stepped through, glancing at them before looking back.

"Hey guys." He said, Kate huffing.

"Alright. Let's go, get armed, then see what caused this and Infiltrator to screech like that." She said, Mike stepping back through the door with Hassan right behind him, Kate following.

The three mammals quickly made their way towards the armory, encountering no other Operators on the way until they arrived.

Kate took a step back when the door to the armory opened and a gun was shoved in her face, the firearm lowering quickly and Juggernaut stepping forward.

"Apologies, ma'am." He said, Kate dipping her head. The Wolf turned and whistled lightly, Negotiator sticking her head out from behind the small stack of boxes in the far corner.

"I'm surprised you two managed to make it. I'd have thought you'd be a bit...tied up." Kate said, Juggernaut flushing awkwardly and lowering his gaze slightly. He cleared his throat.

"Too small." He said quietly, paw discreetly twitching towards Negotiator.

"Of course." Kate said, her tone soft and lacking sarcasm or annoyance. "Apologies."

"It's fine, ma'am." Juggernaut said, then turned and walked over to his weapons rack. While each Operator officially shared the weapon racks among size classes, they technically had their own as well.

The gathered Operators all geared up, racking slides and donning outfits and protective armor and padding. When they were done they stood by the door, Kate glancing to her sides briefly before facing the door.

"Flashlights on." She said, a full second passing before the bright, penetrative light spilled forth from the sides of the guns. More than a few targeting lasers followed. "Move out." Kate stepped through the door with dual Walther PPK .45 sidearms up, the other Operators behind her. Hassan exited last, turning to watch their backs with M240 ready to fire.

"Contact!" Negotiator shouted suddenly, a single shot ringing out as the rest of the Operators turned. Their flashlights moved around, but there was nothing there.

"You sure?" Kate asked, the Mongoose frowning to herself.

"I know I saw something, ma'am." Negotiator answered, the Operators glancing at each other. They nodded and turned, as back to back as they were going to get with the size differences.

"The Mongoose has sharp eyes!" A digitally distorted voice said, Kate turning her head slightly when she heard it. A thud in front of her made her quickly turn and play her flashlight around. She looked down and recoiled, eyes wide, when she saw Infiltrator lying there. She growled in anger when she saw that his neck was at an unnatural angel, paws squeezing the grips of her pistol until her knuckles popped.

"Let's get this bastard." Kate ordered, grunts of acknowledgement reaching her. They slowly began to step away from each other, senses strained for any clue they could find, until they reached the walls. They turned and pressed their backs to the smooth surfaces. Kate reached up and keyed her radio. "Support, find cover and Charlie Foxtrot. Assault, do the same with Oscar Foxtrot. Juggernaut, Whiskey Tango Foxtrot. Negotiator...try not to get shot." She said.

"Oscar Mike." Hassan and Mike said, Juggernaut repeating it a second later. Negotiator just grumbled. When everyone was set up, Kate looked around briefly before nodding to herself.

It was time to end this.

Jacob sighed to himself as he stared down at Commander Kate Wu from the second floor, his eyes half closed due to how tired he was. He held off sleep to make sure the female Wolf wouldn't do anything rash, but he was about to crash. The entire previous night had been...difficult. He subconsciously found himself thinking back to it.

Jacob set his rifle on the ledge as his target's car pulled up, bipod deployed and target sighted in less time than it took one of the lesser Templars to open the door and let the Leopard out, then shut the door. He waited for a long moment, then slowly pulled the trigger as he exhaled just as slowly. The fifty caliber rifle boomed as the Feline's head was destroyed, the body collapsing to the ground as the Templars all stopped. Their shock didn't last long and they turned, weapons raised, and opened fire on his position. He sighted and fired until the rifle clicked empty, then pulled it down off the ledge and gently lay it on the roof. He reached behind him and drew two knives, a grin forming on his muzzle.

He jumped up and arched his back, passing the ledge as he fell towards the ground. He completed the flip as he landed, the twenty feet nothing compared to some of the heights he'd been forced to drop from during his training in Germany. He stood and turned, sprinting across the road and towards the Templars.

Rolling to the side to avoid a shotgun blast, he came up and thrust the blade into the Fox's neck. He wrenched it free as the Canid collapsed, gurgling, and rolled again. He came up and placed his knives into the chests of a pair of Gray Wolves, letting go of the handles as he reached back and drew two more. He turned to the rest of the Templars and rushed forward.

Jacob shook his head to clear the memories, then blinked rapidly. He looked back down to the female Timber Wolf, his head having raised during his brief trip. Her gaze was unfocused, meaning she had either fallen asleep with her eyes open or she was absorbed in her thoughts.

Kate stared into space as thoughts raced through her head. She wondered how things had gone the way they had, wondering if it was her fault for letting her Operators get involved with the 'gang war' that had been going on for the past few years. Her eyes focused.

"Hey, Jacob." She said, the sound of paws thumping as they descended metal stairs reaching her ears.

"What is it?" The male Gray Wolf asked as he approached, Kate turning her head.

"You're an Assassin, aren't you?" She asked, the Wolf blinking in surprise before his expression softened in apparent relief.

"Yeah." He answered, Kate nodding to herself. "What tipped you off?"

"Because if you were a Templar you would have killed me." Kate answered, Jacob huffing in amusement.

"Fair enough." He said, walking around the couch and leaning over it. "So, if I may be so bold...do you know who attacked you?" He asked, Kate sighing.

"Yeah. I think." She answered, Jacob tilting his head slightly. "But before I get to that, I need you to tell me something." Jacob nodded.

"Sure thing. What do you want to know?" He asked, Kate opening her mouth to answer, hesitated, then swallowed.

"Did anyone...?" She trailed off, though her intended question was obvious. Jacob sighed.

"Not as far as I know. I'm sorry." He said, Kate closing her eyes as grief washed over her. Jacob walked back towards the steps, intending to get a brief rest in.

"Thank you for being honest." She said, Jacob pausing at the words. He looked over his shoulder at Kate.

"What would I gain by lying?" He asked, Kate remaining silent. He turned and ascended the stairs. Kate clenched her paw in anger that she'd been betrayed like she had, her mind throwing herself back into memories she wanted _gone_.

"Contact!" Negotiator screeched, the sound of her Glock 18 KPOS firing on full auto filling the room. Her muzzle flashes got closer as she backed away from whatever she was shooting at. Kate rushed towards the Mongoose, sliding next to her and pulling her down.

"Oscar Foxtrot!" Kate screamed, gunfire filling the air as the overlapping field of fire Mike and Hassan had set up chewed into the room. They swiveled their guns to get better coverage until their weapons clicked empty, at which point they simply threw the guns aside and drew their secondary weapons. Juggernaut did the same.

Hassan carried an AA-15 with flechette rounds, a foregrip, and a tactical laser and strobe light on the side.

Mike carried a FAMAS rifle with a drum magazine, tactical laser and flashlight attachments, and iron sights.

Juggernaut carried a Kel Tec KSG 12 Gauge Tactical Model shotgun with a high powered flashlight, slug rounds, an angled foregrip, and a holographic sight.

The two Tigers and Juggernaut approached quickly and squatted by Kate and Negotiator, sweeping their lights around.

"That was close." Negotiator said quietly, raising her firearm and reloading it. She shook her head to clear it, then looked around.

"Agreed." Kate said, raising her sidearms and turning around, shining her flashlights into the dark. "We need to find this bastard." She said, standing slowly. She was pulled back down suddenly, and she felt something pass between her ears. "Scatter!" She shouted, rolling to the side and sprinting for cover. She heard the other Operators doing the same.

Kate ducked into the door frame to the lounge room, and not a moment too soon either. Kate pressed her back to the wall, taking a deep breath to calm her nerves. A blade slammed through the wall on the other side across from her, and almost immediately the door slammed shut. She gasped and holstered her pistols, grabbing the edge of the door and pulling.

It was no use. She wasn't strong enough to override the mechanism inside the door. She could only watch and hope things went well.

Mike, Hassan, and Juggernaut were grouped together, Juggernaut in the lead with Mike and Hassan behind him and offset to the left and right a little bit. They approached the center of the room slowly with flashlights on, sweeping the light around. Juggernaut completed a swift turn and suddenly stopped, lifting into the air. His gun fell to the ground as Mike and Hassan stared in surprise. Kate felt her breath catch as Juggernaut was tossed away and the two Tigers opened fire. Mike was suddenly flung away with an audible impact to his body, Hassan charging forward. He was lifted into the air and slammed down onto the ground on the opposite side from where he'd been.

Juggernaut ran forward with sidearm barking, a large limb slamming into his side and sending him flying away again. Hassan picked himself up and reached for his shotgun, but something stepped on it and sent him flying.

Mike ran forward with a knife in paw and ducked under a swing, bringing the knife up and into his opponent's side only to be sent flying once more. Juggernaut ran at the mystery mammal with sidearm barking once more, but was stopped with an elbow to the diaphragm.

Hassan picked up his shotgun and raised it, but it was knocked from his paws. He drew a blade and stuck it into the mammal's chest, but it did nothing to stop them. They gripped Hassan's shoulder and turned, Hassan pulling the knife out and slamming it in again. The mammal's grip tightened and he fell to a knee, paw reaching for the blade desperately. A crack sounded out and he screamed in pain, dropping down and clutching his wounded extremity. A blade sprung forth from the mammal's wrist, Hassan looking up. He raised himself up, left arm hanging limp, as the mammal brought their wrist forward. Hassan grabbed it and barely managed to keep himself from becoming a shish kebab, thought he was clearly straining to keep it from skewering him.

The mammal pulled their wrist back suddenly, Hassan stumbling forward and lifting off the ground as the mammal brought their wrist forward again, the blade protruding from his back faintly.

"Hassan!" Mike and Juggernaut shouted at the same time, Mike rushing forward quickly. The mammal turned and flung Hassan away, the Tiger crashing against the wall and falling to the ground. He didn't move. Mike blocked an attempted stab easily, not wounded as much as Hassan had been. Kate could only watch in horror.

Ducking under a punch, Mike brought his paw up and slammed it against the mammal's chest, sending a harsh knee into their gut and sending them stumbling back with a left hook. He pressed his advantage and sent a couple more harsh blows before the mammal had fully recovered. He sent him spinning away with a harsh right hook and stepped forward to deliver another punch.

 _'He can win!'_ Kate thought with excitement, her expression lighting up with joy only to drop in horror as the mammal continued their spin and their paw flashed out as they faced Mike. The Tiger came to a halt, arm still raised, before dropping to his knees. A harsh knee sent him falling back and his head rolling away.

"No. No no no, please god no." Kate cried, paws clenching in horror but unable to look away.

"Mike!" Juggernaut shouted, though he didn't move. He glanced at Kate with horror in his eyes, Kate having only enough light to see what was happening as only slightly more than shifting shadows. Juggernaut raised his sidearm and fired until it clicked empty, then flung it away quickly and turning and sprinting away. He leapt and rolled, coming up with Mike's FAMAS and firing it as quickly as it would allow even as the mammal strode towards him. The gun was knocked from his paws and the mammal grabbed his neck, lifting him up. Juggernaut kicked fiercely, catching the mammal upside the head once before he slowly began to slow his movements, and he went limp after a moment.

Kate was hyperventilating by this point, her head light and limbs shaking. The mammal turned to look at her as they dropped Juggernaut and she took a step back, tripping over her own paw and falling to her rear. She pulled herself backwards quickly until she hit the wall, then drew her sidearms in case the mammal managed to get in.

The wall next to the door exploded and she screamed, firing blindly until one of her guns clicked empty. She dropped it and kept the one in her other paw pointed towards the hole in the wall. The dust cleared and she felt terror grip her as the mammal approached her. She glanced at the sidearm briefly, then quickly pulled it back and pressed the barrel to her head. If she was going to die tonight, then she was going out on her own terms!

The mammal jerked his paw out and the gun was knocked from her paws, Kate gasping in shock. She slowly turned her head to the right to see a blade sticking the gun to the wall, and she began to cry. She had failed.

Kate awaited the inevitable burning of a stab wound, wondering if it would be quick. That train of thought had her wondering if she'd see her fallen Operators on whatever other side may exist. Just the idea of seeing Lance and Laura again, as she remembered them, had her crying harder than she'd cried in her life.

When nothing came, Kate opened her eyes to see that she was alone. She clenched her paws and slowly stood, her eyes wide as she took cautious steps towards the hole in the wall. She stepped through it with a sob of fear as she played her gaze around as much of the room as she could see. She purposefully kept her gaze away from her fallen brothers as she turned and began to walk down the hall towards the door. Soon she was running, fear overriding any sense she tried to conjure up. She shoved open the door and stumbled out, falling to her paws and knees as she tripped, then raised herself up and turned, slowly backing away.

A red light caught her eye, making her turn her head in curiosity. The red light turned green and a high pitched whine filled the air. Kate had only enough time to gasp in realization before she was sent flying back with the sound of an explosion being the last thing she heard as her head hit the concrete.

Kate jerked herself upright, then let out a shout of pain as her head suddenly exploded in agony. Only five seconds later she heard hurried paw steps descending stairs.

"Kate!? What's wrong!?" Jacob asked, looking at her in worry from the bottom step.

"Nothing. Just...sudden headache." Kate answered, sending the male Wolf a reassuring smile. He hesitantly nodded in acceptance of the answer.

"Alright. Just...don't hesitate if you need anything." He said, Kate dipping her head. Jacob, however, didn't ascend the stairs again. Instead, he walked over and lowered himself to a knee in front of her. "I'm serious, Kate. While you're here it's my job to make sure you get better. You need something, _anything_ , let me know and I will do my best to get you it."

"O-okay." Kate said with an awkward flush, glancing down. Jacob glanced down as well and quickly moved his paw from where it had subconsciously rested on hers.

"Sorry. Force of habit." He said, Kate nodding. Jacob stood and turned to leave, only to stop when he felt something grab his wrist. He turned.

"Um, if it's not too much, do you think you could...just, stay down here for a bit?" Kate asked hesitantly, Jacob smiling at the female Wolf.

"Of course." He said, Kate smiling thankfully at him as she gently lay back down. She rolled over, her back to the Gray Wolf, and closed her eyes.

Jacob waited for Kate's breathing to even out before he backed away quietly and sat down, staring at her. It wasn't like he really had anything else he could do.

Somehow he found himself thinking back to when he'd found her.

Jacob wiped his knife clean and sheathed it, then turned and walked across the street. He could hear police sirens coming.

He began to climb the building he'd left his rifle on, pulling himself up and over the ledge just as the first cruiser turned the corner. He slung the rifle over his shoulder, tightened the strap considerably, then turned and took off.

He was halfway back to his safehouse when the explosion lit up the night. Jacob stopped and turned his head, eyes wide in surprise. He debated whether or not it would be a good idea to investigate.

With a sharp nod to himself he began to run, and soon he came across what had been the unfortunate building.

 _'Wait a minute...'_ He turned and checked his surroundings in suspicion, eyes narrowed, before he realized where he was. This was the Operator headquarters! He descended quickly after making sure his rifle was secure, dropping a few feet from the ground and rolling. He came up and ran towards the rubble, well aware of what might happen if he was found but not quite caring.

It didn't take him long to find somebody. He came to a stop a few feet from the building when he found a downed female Timber Wolf, reaching down and feeling her pulse.

"Okay, alive. That's good. Might be able to save her." He mumbled to himself, grimacing at her burned uniform. She must have been too close to the explosion.

Jacob carefully reached down and picked her up, resting her atop his shoulders. It wasn't as easy as movies made it seem.

He shuffled further into the road towards the building across the street, then paused. Was he going to leave her there? Would she be safe if he did, or would it get her killed?

 _'Ugh. I'm getting soft.'_ He thought glumly as he realized he'd already made up his mind. He didn't have the chance to slip into the building before a police cruiser screeched onto the road further down. He sighed in annoyance, but waited nonetheless. The cruiser came to a stop a few feet away from him, the doors opening quickly and a Wolf and Tigress stepping out with paws oh so obviously resting on sidearms or tranquilizers behind their doors.

"Officers." He said in a friendly tone, dipping his head politely.

"Uh...hey." The Wolf said hesitantly, apparently confused. He turned his head to the rubble. "Um-"

"Not me. Just got here." Jacob said, the Tigress arching an eyebrow.

"Uh, alright. Is that...the Commander?" The Tigress asked, Jacob looking at the unconscious female Wolf.

"Yes." He answered, turning back to the officers. "And no, you aren't taking her with you."

"Excuse you?" The Tigress asked, Jacob arching an eyebrow in surprise.

"Well whoever attacked this place was obviously more skilled than the Operators inside. Not to sound rude or anything, but if the Operators couldn't fend off the attacker, what hope do you have if they go after her at the hospital?" Jacob asked, the officers clearly caught up by the question.

"And I assume you have somewhere where she won't be found, is that right?" The Wolf asked, Jacob huffing.

"I do. And I have enough medical training to ensure she heals fine." Okay, maybe that wasn't _entirely_ true, but if nothing else he could look it up. How hard could it be?

"...You're an Assassin, aren't you?" The Tigress asked after a moment, Jacob momentarily caught off guard by the question. He wondered what had tipped her off.

"Sort of." He answered, the officers glancing at each other before nodding.

"Alright. We'll trust you to keep her safe and down low, then. But we want to know who attacked this place." The Wolf said, Jacob dipping his head.

"I'll be sure to relay the information if I find out who it was, I assure you." He said as he shifted the Commander's unconscious form slightly and turned. He paused, then faced the officers again. "If it's not too much, would you mind reporting that there were no survivors if you find nobody else?" He asked, the officers exchanging glances before hesitantly nodding. He dipped his head in thanks, then turned and jogged off, leaving the officers to themselves.

When he arrived at his safehouse, he shut the door quickly and gently lay the unconscious Wolf on the couch, then walked over and placed all his weapons back in the indentation in the wall. When that was done he turned and walked back over to the Wolf, looking her uniform over before grimacing at the sorry state it was in. He would have to get rid of it.

With careful and precise movements he managed to remove the Wolf's clothes, keeping his gaze averted as much as he could from any sensitive areas unless he needed to. It was bad enough having to do it, he didn't want to be a pervert.

When he was done he walked over and made to toss it into the trash when he noticed the name tag on the chest. He wondered how he'd missed it briefly, even as he read what it said: Cmdr. Kate "Akimbo" Wu

 _'Kate, huh? Nice name.'_ He thought as he tossed the uniform. He'd get her a spare change of clothes when he had a size from her; until then his own clothes would have to do, which he suspected would be rather loose on her. He was a slightly larger than average Grey Wolf in terms of general build and body mass.

Jacob shook his head away from his memories, then sighed. He glanced at the sleeping Kate, then leaned his head back and closed his eyes. He still needed to get some sleep as it was, and there wasn't a better time than now.

As he drifted off, his last conscious thought was that he hoped he found out who had destroyed the Operators' headquarters and most likely killed all of them aside from Kate.

 **And that does it for Chapter 42 of Zootopian Assassins! I hope you guys enjoyed it, because it was fun to write the fight scene between the Operators and their attacker. I won't reveal who it was just yet, but I will say their identity was foreshadowed last Chapter. I don't think I wrote the scene between Jacob and Wolford and Fangmeyer as well as I should have, but I tried. Let me know who you think the attacker was, but I won't confirm anything. And yes, I did purposefully leave Negotiator's fate ambiguous. No, I won't reveal her fate until much later. Also do know that there's room for a few other Operators to have survived, though I make no guarantees that that's the case. It all depends on if I feel like having a few of them survive or not at the end. Anyway, this is getting long enough, I will see you guys...next update. Word Count: 5,178**

 **Charlie Foxtrot: Cover Fire**

 **Oscar Foxtrot: Overlapping Fire**

 **Whiskey Tango Foxtrot: Wait To Fire**

 **Oscar Mike: On the Move**


	44. Reminiscing and Asset Denial

**Hey guys Price here and welcome to Chapter 43 of Zootopian Assassins! I hope you guys have been looking forward to this, because I certainly have. I intend for this Chapter to develop the future dynamic between Kate and Jacob (note that that doesn't mean I'm gonna have them hook up, just that they'll get along enough to** ** _have_** **a dynamic) I plan for them to have. It'll mostly be a sort of cross between begrudging friendship and playful flirting, though mostly on Kate's part and mostly to just make Jacob uncomfortable due to his avoidance of the subject. We'll see about an actual relationship, though it's definitely possible, assuming I don't kill off one or both of them in the finale. Still deciding on who I will and won't kill off, honestly. Anyway, this is getting long enough as it is, I think it's time to get...onto the story!**

A month or so after the attack on the Operator headquarters found Kate still in the building that Jacob had brought her; she was still deciding whether or not she trusted the black furred Gray Wolf. She held a book in her paw, trying to make sense of what the cover was saying. She knew it was German, since Lance had spoken the language a lot when he was incredibly...perhaps frustrated was too soft a word. More like a soft, murderous anger that didn't exactly go that far.

Kate's ears twitched as the sound of the door opening caught her attention, the Canid raising her head from the book and stuffing it behind the small square pillow beside her quickly.

"Yo, Kate! I got news!" Jacob called, Kate immediately standing and rushing out of the room. She stuck her head into view from the top of the stairs.

"What'd you find out?" She called, Jacob pausing briefly as if surprised to see her upstairs.

"You might want to come down here." He said, the Timber Wolf tilting her head in surprise but complying nonetheless. When she was downstairs he gestured for her to come closer, which she hesitantly did.

"Alright, I'm here. What is it?" Kate asked, Jacob sighing.

"They still haven't found the bodies of Operators Negotiator, Juggernaut, and Support. Everyone else has been found." He said sadly, Kate feeling a mixture of sadness and relief take root in her chest. Sadness because almost everyone under her command had been killed, and relief because it seemed that 'almost' was the important part.

"That means they might have survived, right?" She asked, silently chiding herself for allowing hope to enter her voice to a noticeable degree. Jacob's ears lowered and he turned away.

"It's possible their bodies were merely destroyed by explosives. I won't hold any hope." He answered, Kate's own ears laying down as she lowered her head slightly. Her legs were shaking as she tried to keep herself from outwardly reacting, but her facade didn't last long, as she soon fell to her knees and began to cry. Jacob wordlessly and gently squatted down in front of her, pulling her into his arms in a gesture of comfort. She allowed it, knowing he only wished to help her and expected nothing in return.

He was a good mammal, and for that she respected him.

After several minutes she was able to dry her eyes and raise her head up to face Jacob, though her eyes were still unfocused which had the unfortunate effect of looking like she was hesitating to kiss him. Jacob turned his head awkwardly, as if he wasn't sure how to feel about that, then turned his head back after a moment. Kate blinked to focus her gaze and saw his expression.

"Sorry." She said with an embarrassed chuckle, Jacob smiling reassuringly at her.

"Don't worry about it. I know how Stockholm works." He said jokingly, Kate arching an eyebrow. He winced. "Okay, maybe not the best analogy. Stockholm would imply I was holding you here against your will for some malevolent purpose." Kate chuckled.

"I knew what you meant, the analogy just surprised me." She said, Jacob breathing a sigh of relief. "Though I wouldn't mind getting out of here every once in a while. Starting to get a bit cramped up." She added

"Sorry, I'm afraid I can't let you leave." Jacob said, Kate blinking. "Okay, that sounded much less threatening in my head. Apologies. I can't let you leave because whoever attacked you may find out you survived and we can't have that." He explained quickly, Kate breathing a soft breath of relief at that.

"You probably should have led with that." Kate remarked, Jacob shrugging slightly in agreement. "...Do you have a knife sheath on the inside of your thigh?"

"Yes, why?" Jacob asked, Kate arching an eyebrow and glancing down. " _Oh_ , right. Yeah, sorry, no. That's just the knife pommel." He explained, Kate rolling her eyes in amusement at how embarrassed he sounded. She decided to play with him.

"Dang, and here I was hoping I would get to rest my arm for a night." She joked, Jacob locking up as his face gained a _very_ noticeable blush under the black fur. He coughed awkwardly as he gently pried himself loose from her.

"Um...sorry to, uh, disappoint." He said quietly, clearly more embarrassed than Kate had expected. She snorted.

"You realize I'm joking, right?" She asked, Jacob blinking in surprise.

"Uh, okay. Heh." He said, though the joke had clearly made him uncomfortable. Kate frowned.

"Hey, Jacob, I'm serious with what I'm about to say, okay?" The Gray Wolf nodded to show he understood. "If I say or do anything that makes you uncomfortable, just tell me. It's very likely I will in the future, since, well, your attitude towards the kind of jokes I make from time to time is very different from how my brothers and sisters reacted." She said, Jacob narrowing his eyes in thought for a long moment.

"By brothers and sisters you mean your fellow Operators, right?" He asked, Kate smiling softly at the question.

"Yeah. We considered each other family, so we started referring to each other as brother or sister." She answered, Jacob nodding to himself.

"If I may ask, can you tell me a bit about them? What they were like, their quirks, things like that?" He asked, Kate blinking in surprise before smiling.

"Sure thing. Who do you wanna hear about first?" Jacob remained silent for a long moment in consideration, then shrugged.

"I heard a lot about Operators Whitney and Stone, so let's start with them." He answered, Kate actually surprised by the answer. She'd expected him to ask about some of the others, maybe even herself, not about Lance and Laura.

"Alright, well, Lance was...well, it's difficult to explain, really. He was like three distinct mammals, maybe four, during the time he and Laura were alive. During training he was a bit more cold, almost to the point of blatant disregard for the others' feelings to certain news and topics. And don't even get me started on his intimidation factor. After he met Laura, however, he was a bit more chatty. He was still rather intimidating, as Mike would be able to point out had he not had his head cut off, but that was to be expected. When he and Laura got together it was like a complete one eighty in personality. He joked and laughed with everyone, he didn't hesitate to join in activities just for fun instead of some sense of competition, and he was just overall a more fun mammal to be around. After Laura died, though, he...well, perhaps a reversion into his old personality wouldn't be accurate. He was more withdrawn for a long while, only really talking to others if he had to outside of our little sessions, and also a lot more confrontational if he thought somebody was being rude or anything like that. His intimidation factor also increased by tenfold, which was oddly interesting to see. When he started on his revenge mission, he was more or less a full blown psycho, though I feel like that would be a bit much. Sure, what he did may not have been the legally right thing and was most definitely ethically and morally questionable, but I still consider him my brother. It just sucks he didn't get a chance to move on." Kate sighed sadly, lowering her gaze.

"It doesn't bother you, what he did? I mean, sure, you and I are hardly saints ourselves, but he still slaughtered hundreds of mammals just to get to a single one." Jacob said, Kate leaning back and supporting herself with her paws spread out behind her with a grin.

"Isn't that the same thing you Assassins have been doing, and you especially, Butcher?" She asked, Jacob locking up in shock at the question. "Yeah, to be honest it was pretty obvious when I finally put two and two together. The Butcher of Berlin disappears from Germany, and then the exact same night the Operator headquarters get attacked you were out taking care of a group of Templars in the exact same methods of the Butcher. It wasn't exactly difficult for somebody who studied your case." Kate said, Jacob blinking before letting out an amused sigh.

"You studied my case, huh?" He asked, Kate rolling her eyes.

"Don't flatter yourself. But yeah, I did. It...intrigued me, for some reason. When I found out that each target of yours had a certain piece of jewelry somewhere on them, I found the common thread linking it all together, and it struck me you weren't some random serial killer. You had a reason, a target, and access to enough firepower to take out an entire Precinct of cops if you got range on them. That told me that you likely had some kind of backer, which meant either a contract killer or...something else, perhaps. Of course, I decided I wouldn't share this information with anybody until I had more, and now it's kind of late." She said, Jacob actually looking impressed with her explanation. He tilted his head.

"Are you sure you aren't some kind of Interpol spy?" He asked jokingly, Kate laughing at that.

"Oh, yeah, sure. I _definitely_ am." She said sarcastically, Jacob snorting in amusement, paw covering his snout in an effort to muffle it. "Now, as for Laura...well, she was literally Lance's polar opposite in terms of overall personality. She was more like an apologetic attacker during training whereas Lance expected them to deal with it. Where he was brash and hyper terrifying, she was friendly and...less than terrifying. which made them perfect for each other, I think, because they played off each other and depended on the other for various things. Lance expected her to keep him in line in the event he snapped, despite becoming what he viewed as a better mammal, and she expected him to egg her on if she had to do something but didn't like it. At first, before they got together, he used his ability to intimidate. Afterwards, he helped her by doing that whole cliché thing where you press up against them and guide their movements that way. That kind of stuff." She said, Jacob nodding in understanding.

"And the others?" He asked, Kate tilting her head in thought.

"All of em or just Operator Team One?" She asked, Jacob frowning to himself as he considered an answer.

"I suppose Team One is fine for now." He answered, Kate nodding as she paused for a moment to think about what she'd say.

"Hassan, codenamed Support, was a Sumatran Tiger. He used the heavy weapons like Light Machine Guns and the occasional launcher, both rocket and grenade. He was also the heart of the team, believe it or not. Cheered us up whenever he could, always stayed optimistic about things, and hated his job. Well, perhaps that isn't right, but he certainly disliked what we did. I think the reason behind agreeing was because he knew that somebody would have to do it, and better somebody who would be able to switch between being the residential cheerer-upper and doing his job with ruthless efficiency, which he could. When we got a call, Hassan was the one who ended up doing the most physical damage to our targets. If Lance was the psychological terror, then Hassan was the physical side to the Todd." Kate's expression was soft as she reminisced her most likely dead friends, Jacob simply arching an eyebrow.

"Sounds...fun." He remarked, Kate chuckling.

"He was, I assure you. If we weren't on a call, he was as friendly and unassuming as you can get. Beware the quiet ones personified, passed only by Lance in that regard." Kate chuckled in amusement. "As for Mike, codenamed Assault, he was a Bengal Tiger. Similar to Hassan, he was a bit of a joker and, occasionally, a prankster. Took a picture of Lance and Laura when they accidentally fell asleep in the same chair while reading. Of course he got caught and forced to delete the picture due to leaving the flash on, for some reason, but a picture still went around because I was smart enough to not turn flash on." Jacob blinked in surprise, but remained silent. "He was a bit more focused on quickly and efficiently entering and clearing a room or building, and as such usually had access to ammunition that could penetrate multiple walls, mammals, or just thick material in general. Not as intimidating as Lance or Hassan were and could be, respectively, but not somebody you could hide from for long."

"...You took a picture of Stone and Whitney sleeping together?" He asked, clearly amazed. "I mean, I've heard some things about Operator Whitney, none of which were particularly flattering, so I'm amazed you didn't lose anything." He said, Kate laughing at that.

"Oh, Lance wouldn't seriously hurt any of us. He'd joke and threaten to, of course, but he loved all of us too much to actually do it. Didn't stop him when it came to our inanimate possessions, though." She said, Jacob frowning as if he didn't believe it but otherwise remaining – wisely – silent. "And that's all of Operator Team One. The entire five mammal band." She finished, Jacob nodding to show he was satisfied.

Jacob suddenly reached out and touched her ear curiously, Kate freezing in surprise at the action, eyes wide. It was normally a pretty big deal to touch another Wolf's ears or tail, or at least she was taught it was growing up. He worked his digits over it gently, as if feeling for something, before pulling it back and reaching for her other ear. Her paw snapped up and gripped his wrist, making him look at her in surprise.

"What?" He asked, clearly not understanding why she had grabbed him.

"What are you doing?" She growled, obviously extremely upset he had touched her.

"I'm making sure the burns on your ears are healing fine. Would you rather not know?" Kate blinked in surprise, hesitating for a long moment before slowly releasing his paw and turning her head so it was easier for him to reach her ear. He repeated the same motions he'd done the first time after a moment of confusion, then noticeably scooted back a little when he was done. "So, wanna tell me what that was about?"

"Well, I don't know if it's the same for you, but for me touching another Wolf's ears is a very big deal!" She snapped, Jacob blinking in surprise at her tone, ears lowering slightly before his lip twitched angrily.

"Well excuse me for worrying about your health! You're under my care right now, which means I have to make sure you get better! Keeping an eye on your burns and making sure they don't get any kind of infection in them is a part of that!" He said, his own anger bubbling to the surface. "What's so important about touching ears anyway!? Is it some kind of Timber Wolf thing I've never heard of?"

"It's a sign of affection, is what it is! At least in my family, it's a thing between mates!" Kate said, Jacob's anger immediately dissolving as understanding dawned on him. He averted his gaze.

"I apologize. I should have asked beforehand." He said quietly, clearly ashamed of his accidental flirting. Kate sighed.

"It's fine, I suppose I can't hold it against you for not knowing. I should have told you anyway, when we discussed barriers a few days ago." She said, clearing her throat slightly. There was silence for a long while.

They eventually began to talk again, at least until Jacob had to go upstairs on what he called Assassin business, which Kate took to meant he had to report to his superiors or something. She wondered who the mammal in charge would be.

A few more days passed in peace, at least until Jacob seemed to realize something that alarmed him.

"Yo, Kate." He said, the dozing Timber Wolf snapping her head up, fully alert at the mention of her name. It was a skill she'd picked up during Operator training.

"Go." She responded, Jacob pausing in brief confusion before seeming to realize what she meant.

"It's approaching Spring..." Jacob began hesitantly, Kate arching an eyebrow in confusion. "Um, you have...uh...Musk Mask, right?" He asked, Kate's eyes widening as she realized what he was saying.

"Uh, I mean I _did_ , before it got exploded." She answered, Jacob frowning in thought.

"Do you prefer the strong stuff or the stuff that just works?" He asked, already moving towards the door.

"Cheapest that works!" She called, waiting until Jacob acknowledged her answer before laying her head back down and going back to sleep.

Jacob closed the door behind him and casually slipped into the crowd on the street, longcoat fully buttoned to cover his head below his eyes. It might have been slightly suspicious looking, but he could easily pass it off as just how he liked to wear it. He'd been doing it long enough as it was.

It didn't take him long to arrive at the small Musk Mask store, opening the door and moving over to the section for Wolves. He dipped his head in greeting to the clerk, who eyed him suspiciously before dipping his head back. Jacob tilted his head slightly as he crossed his arms, frowning to himself slightly as he tried to decide between two different kinds. One was cheaper and simply eliminated smells, while the other was slightly more expensive but smelled like some kind of flower he didn't recognize.

With a decisive grunt he grabbed the slightly more expensive brand and approached the front desk, hoping Kate didn't mind. The cashier glanced at him in curiosity.

"Mate? Sister? Cousin?" He asked, Jacob chuckling.

"Friend. She's staying over for a bit until she can find a place to stay." Jacob answered, the cashier nodding and ringing up the price. Jacob payed and dipped his head in thanks, then turned and walked out. It took him a bit longer to get back, since he liked to try and throw off anybody that may have been following him, but when he did he froze at the sight of a very large mess and the smell of blood. "Kate!?" He called, panic rising in his voice.

"Up here!" Jacob breathed a sigh of relief at Kate's answer, climbing the stairs quickly. He hesitated when he didn't see anybody, approaching the door to the only room on the second floor cautiously. He stepped through the threshold and he pretended not to notice the presence to his right as he looked around in curiosity. As the sound of a pawstep reached his ears he turned, quickly and effectively disabling the threat he found by knocking the gun aside and turning them, gripping their wrist to prevent them from bringing the weapon back and wrapping his other arm around their neck while kicking the backside of their knee and forcing them down. He blinked when he saw who it was as the mammal raised their head to look at him.

"Kate?" He said in surprise, the Timber Wolf letting out a relieved sigh before grabbing his wrist and squeezing. He got the message and released her. "Sorry." He said as she stood, an apologetic look in his eyes and expression.

"It's fine. Probably shouldn't have tried to get the drop on you like that." Kate said, waving her paw nonchalantly even as she flipped the gun around in her other paw and gripped the barrel. She held it out to him and he took it, placing it on the desk a few feet away before leaning against it as he turned and looked at her.

"So, care to explain the blood?" He asked, Kate arching an eyebrow.

"Guess you missed them, then." She grumbled, shaking her head. "Some mammals came in with the red cross patch on their shoulders. Shot one as a warning. Hoped you would have-" Kate stopped talking when Jacob walked past her and out the door, descending the stairs. She followed in curiosity, finding him pressing a couple switches in a small box on the wall. He tapped a few more buttons then glanced at her.

"Grab as much stuff as you can carry. Our location has been compromised, which means asset denial is in full effect." He said, Kate looking momentarily confused before understanding dawned. She dipped her head and climbed the stairs again.

When Jacob finished tapping his code into the panel it split apart and slid to the sides, revealing another screen behind it. He pressed his paw to it in a position like he was grabbing something, then pulled his paw back and opened it. A holographic interface sprung into existence.

"Authorization required." A digitalized voice announced, Jacob clearing his throat.

"Authorization Bravo, Lima, Alpha, Kilo, Echo, one-nine-eight-eight." Jacob said, waiting for a long moment for confirmation.

"Authorization accepted. Armed." Jacob spread his arms and placed them on either end of the display, then brought them together and turned them. He pressed his paw to the screen, then pulled his paw back and let the panel slide shut as he turned and walked over to his gear.

Jacob unbuttoned his coat and let it drop to the ground, revealing his rather form fitting shirt and countless knife sheaths adorning it and his pants. He began to place the knives in their respective sheaths, making sure to secure them by snapping clasps shut below the paw guard, then grabbed the large duffel bag he used for his rifle. He placed it in the bag, along with as many magazines he could fit, then closed it. He pulled his coat back on, buttoning it up completely, then shouldered the bag. Approaching the couch, he picked up the green hat on the side and placed it on his head, then nodded to himself.

"You look like The Captain." Kate suddenly remarked, Jacob turning his head in surprise to see her staring at him from the top of the stairs.

"It's intentional." Jacob said, gesturing for her to hurry. She rolled her eyes, but walked back into the room nonetheless, walking back out with another duffel bag slung over her shoulder and the pistol she'd had earlier holstered in a shoulder holster. She descended the stairs and walked past him, placing her paw on the door before stopping, ears strained.

"Sounds clear." She said as she opened the door, quickly sticking her head out then pulling it back in at the sound of a gunshot.

"What was that?" Jacob asked sarcastically, Kate glaring at him.

"Don't you even start." She warned, drawing the pistol before stopping as she glanced at her empty paw. "You have another pistol?" She asked, Jacob shaking his head. Kate grumbled in annoyance as she made to grip the gun with both paws before Jacob stopped her. He reached into his coat and drew a combat knife, holding it out to her. She took it with a nod of thanks, then turned into the alley and dropped to a knee as she fired, three shots in rapid succession ripping through the air. She stopped after the third, then stood.

"Amateurs?" Jacob asked, Kate glancing at him.

"Sure seems that way." She answered, returning her attention to the alley. Her ear twitched back and she turned, sidearm pointing down the other way and coming muzzle to barrel with a Colt 1911 .45ACP. Her own gun was touching the forehead of the mammal, and it took Kate a moment to notice the hood. She pointedly drew her sidearm back, pointing it into the air with elbow bent and other paw up as well. "Assassin." She said, dipping her head in greeting as Jacob stepped from the building behind her. He turned his head, saw the Assassin in an all white outfit, then rolled his eyes.

"Stand down, Keto. She's a friend." He said, the Assassin glancing at him in obvious disbelief but nevertheless holstering her sidearm. Kate's ears twitched again at the same time that the Assassin's did, both turning and drawing sidearms and firing a single shot. Jacob's eyes widened as the bullet passed no more than an inch from his cheek, turning his upper body in surprise to see a Coyote clutching his throat as he sank to the ground.

"Nice shot, Operator." The Assassin remarked, Kate chuckling.

"Same to you, Assassin." Kate remarked, both their heads turned to see the other's performance. They both holstered their sidearms in very obvious showoff-ish ways, then grinned.

"I like her." They both said, looking at Jacob.

"Oh joy." The Gray Wolf muttered with obvious sarcasm, drawing a snort from both Kate and the Assassin.

Speaking of which...

Kate turned and looked at the quite angelic outfit, finding it darkly amusing considering the mammal's occupation.

"Keto's Finnish, isn't it?" She asked, the mammal blinking in surprise before a smile split her muzzle.

"Yep. I assume you've heard Whitney use it, right?" The Assassin said, Kate blinking.

"You knew him?" She asked in surprise, the mammal shaking their head.

"I knew _of_ him, but I didn't know him personally. Friend of mine told me he knew a few languages." She answered, Kate nodding to herself as she glanced at Jacob. A sudden thought occurred to her, recognition of the name hitting her like a bullet.

"Hey, hold on, there's a leucistic Arctic Fox Vixen at Jim's Gun Shop named Lumi Keto. You wouldn't happen to be related, would you?" Kate asked, the mammal blinking before chuckling.

"You're sharp, I'll give you that. And seeing as _Jacob_ trusts you enough to know where you've been the last month or so, I figure I can trust you. Lumi Keto is correct, Commander Wu, pleasure to meet you again." She said, extending her paw. Kate shook it, a small smile on her muzzle.

"Same here. It's doing wonders seeing a friendly face." Kate said, then glanced at Jacob. "Well, you know, aside from him."

"Hey!" Jacob exclaimed as if offended, spreading his arms in a 'excuse you' gesture.

"Oh shut up." Kate said jokingly, a chuckle escaping the Arctic Fox Vixen. "You know I don't mean it."

"Yeah, fair enough." Jacob said, then looking around. "Oh and by the way, we should probably go. This whole building's gonna go up in about two minutes." He added, both Lumi and Kate blinking.

"Excuse me?"

"Anteeksi?"

"The building's been compromised. I can't allow any evidence to fall into either the paws of the Templars or the police." Jacob explained, turning and walking out of the alley. Kate and Lumi exchanged glances, then shrugged. Kate ran after Jacob while Lumi turned and began climbing the building.

As Kate and Jacob turned the block a loud explosion filled the air, both of them pausing and turning to look as if they were shocked. They glanced at each other and turned, continuing to walk away even as mammals rushed towards the source of the noise. They easily dodged any mammals coming towards them, sidestepping almost casually around the larger ones, and ignored the sirens as they passed them by soon after.

At least, until on of the patrol cars pulled up next to them. Kate pulled her phone out and looked at it as if receiving a text or something while Jacob stopped to chat with the officers.

"There a reason for such a big coat? And what's in the bags?" One of the officers, an Arctic Wolf, asked. Jacob chuckled.

"Yeah, I just get rather cold easily, despite my fur coat. Well, that and it's also cosplay. As for the bags, we're moving to a cheaper apartment and we don't have a car, nor money to waste on a cab." Jacob answered, drawing an understanding noise from the Arctic Wolf.

"Alright, well, be safe. Two bombings in twice as many months doesn't spell good things for the city." The officer said, Jacob nodding.

"I will. Be safe, officer." He said, the Wolf dipping his head in thanks before driving back towards where the explosion had come from. Jacob resumed walking, Kate turned off her phone and placed it back in a pocket as she followed.

"That could have gone much worse." Kate muttered, Jacob glancing at her in amusement. "Is that actually cosplay, though?"

"Nah, but it could be. Just need some fur dye and red contact lenses." Jacob answered, Kate chuckling in amusement.

"I think you'd make a pretty good Captain." She admitted, Jacob arching an eyebrow in surprise.

"Well thank you. My Brothers and Sisters in Germany always thought it was stupid...amongst other complaints." Jacob said, drawing a hiss of awkwardness from Kate.

"Right, yeah. I can kinda see their point." She said, Jacob shrugging. "How far is the next safehouse, anyway?"

"About a mile or so. It's a bit more cramped, but it won't be too small." Jacob answered, Kate nodding.

"Why was that Vixen, Lumi Keto, there?" She asked, Jacob shrugging to show he didn't know.

"If I had to hazard a guess, she probably heard the gunshots from you while she was out doing something and decided to investigate. Not sure why she's here, though, seeing as she lives in Tundra Town." He said, frowning to himself. He'd heard her and Sven had been having issues over her methods, but surely they had resolved them by now, right?

Silence stretched between the two Wolves as they walked, only ending when they arrived at the safehouse and stepped inside, and Kate took notice of the rather barebones nature.

"Jacob." She began, obviously unnerved, making him glance at her in surprise as he set his bag down and took the coat off. "There's only one bed."

"...Yeah." He agreed, not quite sure where she was going.

"There's no couch, chair, or even spare cot." She continued, the melanistic Gray Wolf glancing around in further confusion. "...Either one of us is sleeping on the floor or we're sharing the bed."

"...Oh." Jacob said, though dully, until understanding flashed across his expression and his eyes widened. "Oh! Oh, right, yes, sorry! Um...I was planning on just going to buy a cot or something, but I mean I guess we could share the bed if you're fine with that." He said, though he was clearly _extremely_ awkward just thinking that.

"Well I don't mind. Do you?" Kate asked, Jacob opening his mouth to answer, then paused, then shut his mouth in consideration.

"I...guess not?" He said unsurely, frowning to himself. Kate rolled her eyes.

"Jacob, I'm not going to judge you just because of biology. Trust me, I've platonically shared my fair share of beds with males, I know how that whole thing works. It's _hard-_ ly going to bother me." She said, Jacob quickly catching onto her joke and rolling his eyes.

"Oh, god." He muttered, shaking his head. "But sure, I guess if you don't mind then I don't really mind. Just ignore me, though, I tend to move when I sleep." Kate arched an eyebrow at that.

"Jacob, you have not seen movement until you have been forced to share a bed with Lance Whitney. Trust me." She said, Jacob arching an eyebrow in surprise. "And no, nothing has ever happened when I have been forced to share a bed."

"...That's strangely not very reassuring." Jacob remarked.

"Oh shut up and just get the bed ready to be slept in later. I'm gonna look around for a minute." And with that, Kate turned and began to explore the building.

 _'That Wolf is going to be the death of me, I swear...'_

 **And that does it for Chapter 43 of Zootopian Assassins! I hope you guys liked it, since I tried to make it a bit more comical when I could. I'm not exactly happy with where it ended, but I felt like it was beginning to drag so I decided to just cut there. Plus I was over 5k words, so I was good. But, aside from that, yes Lumi was supposed to make an appearance. No, nothing's happening with her and Is/Sven, she was just out doing her own thing. Also, no, Kate hasn't actually shared a bed with others, she was just trying to make Jacob feel less awkward. She only knows about Lance and his moving around because she walked in on him asleep in a weird position once. So, tell me what you guys thought, because I would be glad to hear your opinions. I can't believe the story's almost over already. God, it's been such an incredible journey writing this and seeing what you guys have thought of it. But enough of that, I'll save all the thanks and stuff for the Epilogue. Anyway, I think this is getting long enough, I will see you guys...next update. Word Count: 5,775**


	45. Feelings

**Hey guys Price here and welcome to Chapter 44 of Zootopian Assassins! I hope you guys liked last Chapter, because I certainly enjoyed trying my hand at the more comical moments. This Arc isn't exclusively going to follow Kate and Jacob, don't worry, but they are a main focus because they play an important part in the finale. There will be a Chapter dedicated to Lumi and Is, one for Perseus and Daedalus, and one for Nick and Judy. The Arc gets its name from the final Chapter, which is a massive fight to end the conflict once and for all, as well as for the planning that Jacob will be doing in a the few Chapters left. I'll have Nick and Judy's Chapter be the second to last, since it's important to the story and their characters in it. Daedalus and Perseus' Chapter will be next, and Lumi and Is' will be Chapter 47. This Chapter takes place two months after last one, to further the timeline a bit more as well as explain how Jacob comes by his information that he does and why Kate and him are getting along a bit more. Anyway, that's enough of that, I think it's time to get...onto the story!**

Jacob snapped the book he was holding shut at the sound of approaching pawsteps, stuffing it into his coat before it could be seen. He was pretty sure he would be mercilessly teased by Kate if she saw it. He mentally cursed himself for closing it so loudly, but knew it was no point getting upset over it. She probably knew he was reading something anyway.

"What were you reading?" Kate asked as she leaned over the couch Jacob had recently acquired, Jacob turning to look at her only to freeze up at the sight of her wearing no shirt. He cleared his throat and raised his gaze, trying very hard not to look anywhere but her head. Kate merely arched an eyebrow, glancing down. "What?"

"Please tell me you're wearing something down below." Jacob remarked, Kate leaning away and looking down, as if she wasn't sure herself and was checking. She raised her head and leaned forward again.

"Do you want me to?" Kate asked, Jacob rubbing his head in false annoyance at the question.

"You are just determined to get a rise out of me, aren't you?" He asked, Kate chuckling as she glanced down.

"Well, it seems to be working." The Wolf remarked, Jacob grabbing a pillow and placing it in his lap pointedly, Kate frowning in pretend disappointment. She shrugged and glanced at his coat. "Seriously, what were you reading?"

"I'm not telling you." Jacob answered matter of factly, Kate frowning again.

"Do not make me lay down next to you and stretch out." She threatened, Jacob flushing at the rather forward threat. He turned away, then hesitantly reached into his coat and pulled the book out, handing it to her. "You're too easy, Jacob." Kate remarked, taking the book and looking at it. She glanced at him in surprise.

"Shut up." Jacob said, already knowing what she wanted to say.

"I'm incredibly disappointed you bought a book to learn how to be less awkward around an attractive female. I'm flattered, by the way." She remarked, Jacob letting out a groan and leaning forward. He mumbled something, Kate's ears perking up. "Huh?"

"I said that I just have issues, okay? It's not as easy for me as you think." He said, sounding rather condiscending to himself. Kate's lips formed a line as she considered something. She sighed and walked around the couch, sitting down and turning towards him, leaning against the arm of the couch. Jacob pointedly turned his head away.

"Jacob, eyes on me!" Kate snapped, her voice changing from her normal tone to her Commander tone. She rarely used it, and Jacob had never heard it, so he reacted and turned, snapping to a salute.

"Eyes forward, ma'am!" He reported, Kate arching an eyebrow. He glanced at his paw and lowered it, clearly struggling to keep his gaze from traveling south. Kate snorted in amusement.

"I'm not going to snap at you, Jacob. I don't mind." She said, her voice soft and comforting, Jacob taking a deep, nervous breath as he slowly nodded, though his gaze didn't slowly lowered his gaze, clearly uncomfortable even though his gaze was only at her neck. Kate reached up and stretched, yawning as her back arched and her eyes squeezed shut. She'd never been able to keep her eyes opened when she yawned, despite trying.

When her eyes opened Jacob had moved his gaze further down, now unashamedly staring at her furred chest. His eyes glanced up and saw her looking at him and his head snapped up, a flush forming quickly on his cheeks. Kate sighed and let her head loll to the side, closing her eyes and shifting slightly.

Jacob waited for a moment to be sure that Kate was asleep before he worked up the courage to move his gaze lower again. He suspected she wasn't actually asleep, though he couldn't confirm that without touching her in some way and he was not about to do that.

With a deep breath, Jacob resumed his gaze's journey, finding it weird that he was doing it while Kate was asleep even if she had admitted to being more than fine with it. The fact that she trusted him not to do anything more than look was surprising, especially given how she clearly didn't trust him with a lot of stuff. He suspected it had less to do with trust and more with just her attitude, however. She was clearly used to being able to just walk around in any state of dress or undress as she so desired back when she was still Commander of the Operators, and he found that both disturbing and interesting.

The disturbing factor likely came from the fact he knew full well what mammals could do if they desired with view of some kind of undress, though he knew he shouldn't find it disturbing like he did. Kate clearly trusted everybody she was in charge of only a few months prior enough to walk around in whatever state of dress she wanted, so perhaps it was more that she viewed him as somebody she could trust simply because of his shyness and unwillingness to look.

But if she was fine with it, then he supposed he could at the very least try and work through his shyness. He nodded to himself and tilted his head to comfortably rest against the couch as he rested his eyes on the female Wolf.

It was during his looking that he finally noticed the unique patterns of Kate's fur. Her fur was predominately a light grey in color, though it darkened as it moved towards her back, as was common in a Timber Wolf. The grey colors were odd enough, since Timber Wolves were usually a more tan color in nature that darkened towards the spine like Kate's. There also appeared to be random swirls of black on her chest, though the shadows cast may have darkened them slightly, and Jacob felt his curiosity stir at the unusual patterns. Her tail was a dark grey like winter skies, though the tip was snow white.

The odd mix of colors made Jacob suspect that her family may have bred with Arctic Wolves and a Wolf or two with melanism similar to his. He couldn't be sure, however, though the evidence made it difficult to discount the possibility. Kate may not have even been a pure Timber Wolf for all he knew, but just identified as one instead of a mix. His observations accidentally brought his gaze towards her sex, and he quickly averted his gaze. He didn't care how much Kate assurred him, he was not going to look at that unless he had no choice.

After a few more minutes of looking at Kate's unusual coat, Jacob sighed to himself and turned, leaning his head onto his paw which he supported by putting his elbow on the couch arm. He closed his eyes and decided to catch some sleep.

Jacob slowly opened his eyes and was surprised to find there was little light in his eyes like he would have expected. He made to raise his head, then paused as he realized he was on his stomach and was not on the couch. He slowly raised his head up and froze, a bright flush creeping onto his face when he saw the grey and black fur he'd practically memorized the night prior. He raised his head to see Kate was still asleep, carefully moving to climb off the couch with as much dignity as he could possibly possess from waking up on top of her despite not falling asleep there.

It was then he noticed the Kate had wrapped her arms around him tightly sometime before he'd awoke, and he only barely stopped himself from sighing. It wouldn't do to wake her up and make her think he was trying to do anything. He looked around slightly, then turned back around and blinked when he saw Kate's eyes were open. His mouth suddenly went dry and he swallowed nervously, expecting her to lash out.

"Um-"

"Well, glad to see you're awake." Kate remarked, Jacob blinking.

"Huh?" He asked, not quite sure what she was saying.

"I've been awake for almost...what, fifteen, twenty minutes? Was waiting for you to wake up." Kate explained, Jacob staring at her for several seconds before letting his head flop down with a small noise of embarrassment.

"...Am I shirtless?" He asked after a moment, Kate chuckling.

"Yeah, you just kinda woke up and took off your coat in the middle of the night, then took off your shirt and cuddled up how you are now." She answered, Jacob groaning in even further embarrassment. "It's not like you have much to be embarrassed by, anyway, so I don't really see the issue." Jacob only flushed further at the words.

"You're not helping. I really just want to get up and pretend this never happened." The way Jacob said it made it obvious there was more.

"But...?" Kate asked, Jacob letting out a whine.

"I'm also really comfortable and don't wanna move." He answered, Kate letting out a hum.

"Well, I guess we're staying here until you're not comfortable anymore." She remarked after a few seconds of thought, Jacob raising his head after a moment.

"Can I ask you something?" He asked nervously, Kate arching an eyebrow in permission. "You aren't a pure Timber Wolf, are you?" She blinked in surprise at the question, then sighed quietly and averted her gaze, head turning to the side slightly.

"It's not something my family discusses." She answered after a moment, Jacob lowering his gaze in apology. "But I suppose there's no harm in telling you. Not like keeping it secret will change anything."

"No, if you don't want to talk about it, that's fine." Jacob said, clearly not willing to make her upset or uncomfortable.

"It's fine, Jacob. If we're gonna trust one another, then I think this should be known." Kate said, Jacob opening his mouth to object but being silenced by Kate glaring. She sighed. "I'm...not a legitimate daughter. I mean, I'm biologically related to my mother and her family, but that's about it. And it wasn't like it was her being tired of my 'father' like you would expect. No, I was conceived by a much more reviled act." Jacob could tell where the conversation was going, and he steeled himself and decided to take a risk.

"Well, I think that just makes you that much better of a mammal." He said, extending his neck and placing a soft kiss on her cheek, something similar to that like a pair of friends would share rather than a romantic advance. Kate turned her head, her eyes wide in surprise as she stared at him. Jacob smiled softly, Kate remaining silent as her own expression softened. "I mean, think about it. It can't be easy, knowing you're conceived by something like that, and yet you push on and pretend it doesn't matter. And it doesn't. It's not _important_ who fathered you, Kate, because you had somebody who would love you despite that. Despite the pain that something like that causes, your family, especially your mother and the one you call your father, they don't let that fact influence their love for you. And _that's_ all that matters, that they love you despite the fact." Jacob had more to say, but that was derailed when he realized that Kate's eyes were wet with tears. He blinked in worry.

"Thank you. It means more than you could know to hear that." Kate said, her voice choking with emotion, and Jacob smiled. He had been telling what he believed to be the truth, and he didn't think he really deserved thanks for being honest. To him, why should something as minor as whether or not Kate was a legitimate daughter or not affect how much her family loved her? It wasn't her fault, so why blame her? She hadn't any control over who her biological parents were. If anybody was to blame, it was the one who had forced himself upon her mother.

"Well, I hardly believe I deserve praise for telling you the truth-" Jacob was once more cut off, though this time by something more than a simple emotionl response.

Jacob froze as Kate suddenly pressed her muzzle to his own, not really sure how to react. He just kinda let it play out, not trusting himself to not make it any more awkward than it was. It didn't last long, though he was left oddly disappointed about that fact. Perhaps it was just the fact he'd not done it before and had expected more, or something to that effect anyway.

Kate pulled away, turning her head slightly ad coughing awkwardly.

"Sorry. Kinda just...yeah." Kate said, swallowing nervously and clearing her throat. It was amusing for Jacob to see her being flustered for once instead of the other way around.

"Well, I can't say I was expecting that, but at the same time I feel like I should have for some reason." Jacob remarked, Kate clearly embarrassed by her action. "Though if I may be so forward, I'm guessing you don't get many reactions like that when others find out." Kate shrugged.

"I mean, my Operators didn't really mind, but...I was young, back during Academy, and I kept being pressured about my fur colors and things like that. Or why I had a different appearance in my pictures compared to my family. When everyone found out, I didn't exactly make any friends. Nobody wanted to be friends with somebody like me. Nobody wanted to be associated with a mammal born from r-"

"I do." Jacob said, interrupting her and making her lock up in surprise. He smiled softly, Kate smiling after a moment as well. "Like I said, it shouldn't matter who fathered you, Kate. We are not our parents, we are only who we make ourselves to be. Nobody else can make us who we are, not unless you let them. If nobody else wants to be your friend because of something like that, then I will." He continued, Kate remaining silent for a long momentas she mulled his words over. After a moment, she chuckled.

"You just want me to kiss you again, don't you?" She asked jokingly, Jacob shrugging.

"Well, that wasn't what I had in mind, but..." Jacob paused as a thought occurred to him. "That sounded much less sexual in my head."

"Oh I'm sure it did. Well, I suppose I wouldn't object to it." It took Jacob a moment to process what Kate had said.

"...Wait what?" He asked, Kate arching an eyebrow.

"I said I wouldn't object to it. Is that surprising?" Jacob opened his mouth to answer, then paused.

"...Okay, I don't know how to answer that." The melanistic Gray Wolf replied, frowning to himself as Kate just chuckled.

"Well, I'm not saying I want to, I'm just saying that I wouldn't have any complaints." She said, Jacob frowning further.

"Why do you keep saying that?" He asked, Kate chuckling.

"Well, if I'm being honest, it's not like I have much else to really live for, right? For all I know, all my friends are dead, I've lost _everything_ because I can't even tell my family I'm alright, since the Templars might find out or something, and they might already know because they found our previous safehouse." Kate chuckled sadly. "So I guess I'd just like something to live for, or something to that effect. Something to give me a reason for caring how this all ends."

"...Would you feel better if you knew that the only mammal left in charge for the Animalia branch of the Templar Order is the Grand Master?" Jacob asked, Kate blinking in surprise. "I mean, we don't know who they are, anyway, but we're close to finding out." Kate nodded in understanding.

"They're the one who attacked Home, aren't they?" She asked after a moment, Jacob sighing.

"Most likely. Which means we of the Brotherhood will likely have to stage a large scale assault. We'll likely lose a great many Brothers and Sisters." The Gray Wolf muttered the last part in obvious disdain, clearly wanting to change that fact.

"No, you don't." Kate said, Jacob tilting his head. "You have a rifle that can kill from over a mile away, Jacob. If you can get a clear shot, you won't have to lose anyone." Jacob shook his head.

"Kate, it's not likely I'll get that clear shot. If we're _extremely_ lucky, yes, but I'm not too optimistic on our chances of getting that lucky. Not with how this war has been going." He said, Kate scoffing.

"Jacob, from what I've heard, this war has been going fantastic for your side. You've only lost _one_ mammal compared to their hundreds." Kate said, clearly confused how the war had been going bad.

"We also lost the German branch only a single year after the Brotherhood gained a significant presence here. We have no support because we're the last branch in this hemisphere. Two of our best operatives have a kit to be considerate of, not to mention one of them is extremely psychologically disturbed by this war and the other is a world renowned killer for hire with Multiple Personality Disorder. We've gotten the Operators involved and, in all likelihood, almost completely wiped out. And all we've done compared to the Templars is kill a bunch of mammals that they have reserves of in apparently endless numbers." Jacob said, Kate opening her mouth to respond, paused, then closed it when no retort of all the good things the Brotherhood had done immediately came to her. After a few seconds something came to her, though she didn't like that it took her longer than she was comfortable with to come up with it.

"Well, you've taken out a bunch of important mammals in their Order, haven't you? That has to to count for something, right?" Kate asked, Jacob sighing as he let his head flop down onto her once more.

"Yeah, well, that's about all we've done. There are way more mammals in on this fight on our side than I'm comfortable with. A few of them also have less training than I'd like because our more skilled fighters aren't big enough to train them. So if we do end up with a large scale assault, we're most likely looking at a huge loss on our side. Even then the other Templar Grand Masters will likely appoint somebody else after a short while." Jacob said, Kate frowning.

"So there are different Grand Masters for each hemisphere?" She asked, Jacob shaking his head.

"Each continent. Except Antarctica, since neither we nor they have a single operative there. We've both tried to put a notable presence there, but it's not really worth it. Used to be that we only had a single Mentor for our side and a single Grand Master for their side. Now, with how much territory there is around the world compared to back then, we have a Council of Elders and they have a group of Grand Masters. Each Elder is a Mentor for a specific continent, same for their group of Grand Masters. So we'll, at most, be removing a majority of the threat for this continent. There are still other groups around the country, of course, but the majority of them are centered around here and rely on supplies from here." Jacob paused as a thought occurred. "Hey, you told me you had an idea about who the mammal that attacked you was. I forgot to ask, but who did you think it was?"

"Honestly, I hope I'm wrong about this, but the mammal appeared to be of a similar size to a Bovine of some kind." Kate answered, though the implications of her answer were not lost on Jacob. He pulled away in surprise, sitting up in alarm, eyes wide.

"You don't actually think that Bogo's the Grand Master, do you?" He asked, though he was more surprised by the answer seeming to confirm the suspicions of the other Elders than actually hearing the answer. Kate looked confused. "He's the Mentor for this continent! If that's true-"

"Sounds to me like you've got another...um, what was the name again? The Mentor from the Crusades?" Kate asked, Jacob chuckling at her forgetfulness.

"Al Mualim, Kate."

"Yeah, sounds like you got another Al Mualim on your paws here. Of course, I hope not, but that's how it seems to be playing out." Jacob sighed in agreement, shaking his head as he turned.

"The Elders suspected him as far back as three years ago, but at the same time all we really had was how much info he had on the Templars to go off of for our suspicions." Jacob said, shaking his head. "We'll have to do some digging, otherwise I want to keep this hidden away. If it's true, then we can't have somebody attacking him before we're ready. If it isn't, then we'll have murdered the Chief of Police based off a hunch about a similar sillouette to the one who attacked Home." He added, Kate nodding in agreement. He was right.

Jacob suddenly flushed, as if embarrassed by something, and Kate arched an eyebrow.

"Something the matter?" She asked in concern, Jacob glancing down. Kate followed her gaze, then blinked. She'd completely forgotten that she was naked and Jacob partially so. "Oh."

"That's not it." Jacob remarked, Kate frowning. He coughed awkwardly once. "So, about that offer...?" Kate blinked, then chuckled.

"Are you asking if it's still on the table?" She asked, Jacob opening his mouth to answer, then paused.

"Well, not _exactly_ about the offer. But no, I'm not. More about why you so readily offered it." Jacob answered, leaning forward again and settling his head on her chest with a small frown. In his defense, she had really soft and comfortable fur. "I think you offered for the wrong reasons, personally. You shouldn't be willing to let somebody you barely trust use you that way simply because you want something to live for. Besides, you still have your family, even if you can't see them. They're alive and well, so look forward to the day that you can go and see them again. You still have that." Kate paused at his words, feeling like they carried more weight and meaning than she knew.

"I suppose you're right. I do have something, even if it isn't something that I can really do much with." Kate paused once more, unsure if her next words were wise. "You...don't have anything at all, do you?" Jacob blinked in surprise, then turned his head slightly.

"I have the Creed. That's more than enough." He answered, clearly not willing to continue the conversation subject. Kate was stubborn, however.

"No, Jacob, it isn't. Even if you don't think so, you need something physical. Something that you can interact with." She said, the Wolf glancing at her.

"I have my rifle." Kate huffed, clearly getting annoyed.

"That's not what I mean, Jacob. You need someone. All of us do." Her paw came up and gently turned his head towards her own. "Even if only once, let me be that somebody. Let me give you comfort. That's all I ask."

"What if I want to think of this as something more?" Jacob asked, Kate smiling softly.

"Think of this however you want. If you want it to be simple comfort, then that is what it shall be. If you want it to be more, then it shall be more." Kate answered, Jacob remaining silent for a long moment, consideration clear in his expression. After a moment, he nodded.

"Perhaps we should more somewhere a bit more suited, then." Kate shrugged.

"If you want." She remarked, though they both stood.

Jacob slowly opened his eyes, for once not waking up immediately. He groaned quietly as he raised his head, looking around for a moment before letting his head flop back down. He really wanted to just go back to sleep.

The sound of a groan from behind him made him turn slightly, seeing Kate sit up and shake her head. She turned and blinked when she saw him, then smiled.

"Hey." Jacob said, turning the rest of the way and sitting up as well.

"Hey." Kate parroted, chuckling lightly. Jacob rolled his head, letting out a pleased noide at the popping sound the movement produced. "You know, I was wondering about something I heard a few months back, but I kept forgetting to ask."

"What is it?" Jacob asked, tilting his head. Kate hesitated, then took a deep breath.

"Your name. It isn't Jacob, is it?" The female Wolf asked, Jacob blinking in surprise. He let out a chuckle.

"You overheard my authorization, didn't you?" He asked, Kate shrugging.

"Maybe." She mumbled, Jacob huffing in amusement.

"Well, to answer your question then, no. Jacob is only the name I go by." He said, turning and standing. He stretched, yawning as he did so, and looked around.

"Well, what's your real name then?" Kate asked, Jacob blinking and turning to look at her. He sighed.

"I'll tell ya in a minute. First I wanna get dressed and get something to eat." The melanistic Gray Wolf answered, walking out and into the main room. Kate frowned and stood, following him. She wasn't too surprised to find him already wearing pants and slipping his shirt on. He ignored the greatcoat, however, which she was grateful for. The form fitting clothes showed off a lot, and she would voice no complaints about that. Jacob glanced at her. "You gonna go the whole day naked again?" He asked, Kate chuckling.

"Do you want me to?" She asked suggestively, Jacob pausing his movements for a long moment before he took a deep breath.

"Well, it's gonna get hot later, so I was gonna blast the air. Just thought you might want some kind of clothing on when I do." He finally answered, Kate frowning. "Though I wouldn't mind the view if you decided not to." She chuckled.

"Well, I must say the same, then, if you decide to leave that coat off." Kate remarked, Jacob's ears perking up as he turned. Kate was already walking into the small bathroom, however, so he just shook his head in amusement and walked to the fridge. He'd stocked the place rather well since they'd arrived, the couch, fridge, and microwave being only a few of the things he'd been able to add in the two or so months since they'd moved in.

He paused as a thought occurred to him. Kate had said that their moment of comfort could be whatever he wanted it to be, making it seem like she didn't really care, but if that was true then why did her eyes seem so sad when she's said it? Did she hope he'd want it to be more? And if that was the case, why give him the choice? Why not just be honest?

Jacob sighed as he shut the fridge, turning and walking towards the bathroom. He paused at the shut door, reaching up and lightly tapping it with the back of his paw.

"Hey, Kate, can I come in?" He called, waiting for a moment. He frowned at the silence that greeted him, about to turn away when the door opened. Kate tilted her head at him in curiosity, having pulled on a pair of pants and holding a shirt in her paws.

"What?" Kate asked as she pulled the shirt on, Jacob opening his jaws to speak, then pausing. He cleared his throat, then frowned as if he'd forgotten.

"Ah, crap, hold on." Jacob said, snapping his digits together as a look of thought settled on his face. Kate rolled her eyes and chuckled, shaking her head in amusement and walking past him.

"Just tell me when you remember." She said, walking over to the couch and sitting down. Jacob sighed to himself and mentally slapped himself.

Several hours later found Kate still sitting on the couch, but now with a book in paw. She turned the page, tilting her head as she read, ignoring the sound of pawsteps that approached. She barely kept herself from jumping when she felt comething come to rest on top of her head, raising her gaze in confusion.

 _'What is he doing?'_ She thought in confusion, Jacob moving his head and raising it, looking down as Kate looked up. Kate opened her mouth to verbalize her question, only to freeze when Jacob leaned down and gently pressed his muzzle to hers. Kate's eyes remained open for several seconds in surprise before closing, Kate reaching up and gently clasping the sides of Jacob's head.

When he pulled away, Kate opened her eyes and blinked rapidly in confusion.

"Um-"

"I've decided, by the way." Jacob said, interrupting her. Kate's ears perked up at the words, the female Timber Wolf tilting her head.

"Oh you have?" She asked jokingly, Jacob chuckling.

"Yeah. And, to be honest, I think we should stick together." He said, smiling at her.

"Well, I think that sounds like a wonderful decision." Kate said, Jacob chuckling.

"Glad you agree." He remarked, leaning down and resting his head on the couch next to hers. "Oh, and by the way, my real name is Blake."

 **And that does it for Chapter 44 of Zootopian Assassins! I hope you guys enjoyed this Chapter because I certainly have. Originally, I wasn't planning on hooking up Kate and Jacob – real name Blake, as you now know and was foreshadowed last Chapter with his authorization code – but it kinda just happened and I think it seems like a decent idea, personally. I mean, I tried to give a reasoning, a catalyst if you will, behind Kate's need for something to fight for and to care, but I'm not too sure, personally. This Chapter was planned to be a big moment in their relationship, though I wanted to make it a platonic development until their very last dedicated Chapter, since that felt more natural to me and left more room for tying up things nicely. However, I think I at least gave a decent reasoning behind it, even if it does come out of left field based on their previous interactions. I suppose you can say I kinda teased it by how willing Jacob was in getting Kate Musk Mask and how worried he was when he came back to find it a mess, but other than that I feel like I made it too sudden or something. I dunno, let me know what you guys think on a Review. Anyway, this is getting long enough, I will see you guys...next update. Word Count: 5,461**


	46. Feelings II

**Hey guys Price here and welcome to Chapter 45 of Zootopian Assassins! This Chapter is set with Daedalus and Perseus, and covers a bit more of their relationship, much like last Chapter did for Kate and Blake. Also, they're relationship has developed since their last appearance, though in what way I will not say because it will be...well, not important to the plot, but important to their character development. Let's just let the Chapter play out and find out that way, yeah? Alright, so enough of that. This Chapter takes place one month or so after last one. There will also be another event at the end that will be further detailed next Chapter, which returns to Kate and Blake and will showcase the event in much more detail, which in turn leads into Lumi and Is/Sven's Chapter. As showcased in Chapter 43, Lumi is spending more time outside of Tundra Town, which I will explain why in their Chapter. I'm excited to write for Daedalus, Perseus, Lumi, Is/Sven, Nick, and Judy once more when the time comes. Next Chapter contains more violence, which I am looking forward to because all this emotional stuff is making me realize just how bad at it I am even more. Also, real quick, but this Chapter starts out with some action, and it is very plot related. There's also a brief flashback around halfway into the Chapter, which I think you guys will like. Anyway, that's enough of that, I think it's time to get...onto the story!**

Perseus adjusted the cloth over his muzzle, back pressed up against a wall and a Bearetta APX sidearm in his other paw and a Bearetta Cx4 Storm rifle on his back. He leaned his head out slowly from behind the wall, looking around. He checked the opposite side of the wall, then hurriedly ducked back from view. He flexed his digits and secured his grip on the pistol, then turned and crouch-ran to a small cargo container. He looked around, then reached into his outfit and drew out a suppressor, screwing it onto the APX.

He'd been contacted by Jacob recently about some information he needed, and had been asked to retrieve it from a warehouse alongside his friend Daedalus.

Perseus peeked out from his cover and scanned his surroundings. His ear twitched at the sound of pawsteps behind him and he whirled, sidearm ready. It was stopped by a paw, Perseus flicking his wrist and activating the Hidden Blade. He stopped when he realized it was just Daedalus, letting out a relieved huff and retracting the Hidden Blade as well as the sidearm.

"Don't sneak up on me like that, Dae." Percy whispered, Daedalus shrugging.

"Sorry. You clear the area?" The Coywolf asked, Percy glancing out from cover once more. He turned back around and nodded to Daedalus, who dipped his head and crouched down, pulling a pack from his back. "I hope this works..." Daedalus muttered as he pulled a paw sized ball from the pack. He pulled a remote out as well and handed it over to Perseus, the Lynx taking it gladly. The two predators exchanged glances, silently counting down in sync. When they finished, Daedalus launched the ball into the air at the same time Perseus flicked a switch on the remote.

The sides of the ball flipped up, the black surface twisting to reveal blades that immediately began spinning noiselessly. The bottom of the sphere parted slightly, Perseus glancing down at the remote and grinning at the screen set in the middle when he saw a clear view from the mounted camera.

He liked the drone's design.

"Alright, let's get this distraction ready..." Perseus muttered to himself as he pushed one of the switches and the drone began to move away from the warehouse, the two Assassins glancing around and crouching down, shifting back into the shadows granted by the containers.

Perseus guided the drone over towards where a large group of trucks sat, his eyes glued to the screen as he kept an eye out for anybody that might see the drone before it was ready. When he was over the trucks he allowed the drone to drift downwards, tucking it under the closest truck.

Perseus pressed a button on the side of the remote and the drone's rotors shut, the sides closing as the drone clunked to the ground. Perseus grimaced slightly, waiting for a long moment to see if anybody had heard the sound.

When a minute passed he let out a sigh of relief, glancing at Daedalus and nodding his head. The Coywolf nodded back, and Perseus punched another button. The screen rose up and split apart, revealing a small keyboard. Perseus glanced at his friend.

"Five." Daedalus whispered, Perseus dipping his head and tapping the keyboard. He pressed another button and the remote beeped quietly. He tossed the remote to Daedalus, who placed it into the pack. He placed the pack against the container, intending to come back for it later.

"Alright, timer's set. Let's go." Perseus said, drawing his sidearm. Daedalus did the same and the pair began to move.

Perseus paused after a moment, tilting his head and holding up his paw to signal Daedalus to stop as well. He raised two digits to indicate he heard two mammals, Daedalus tapping his shoulder to indicate confirmation. Perseus paused, then lowered his paw and gestured towards the ground, lowering himself to a prone position and shifting closer to the midnight blue shipping container next to him. Daedalus did the same, the two waiting for several seconds.

It wasn't long before two mammals came into sight, walking past the two Assassins with slightly stumbles. Perseus shook his head in disappointment, then stood silently. He and Daedalus approached the mammals from behind and both wrapped paws around their muzzles at the same time, pulling them down as they thrust their Hidden Blades into their necks.

The duo dragged the bodies out of sight, sitting them up against a container to make them appear asleep. They exchanged glances, then turned and resumed making their way towards the warehouse, well aware of the time they had wasted removing the potential threats.

They arrived at the warehouse with no further complications, something that worried them. If the information they were after was here, it was guarded rather horribly.

Perseus raised his sidearm as he stepped into the warehouse, looking around at the darkened interior. He gestured to Daedalus, raising his paw and lowering the pair of night vision goggles on his head. The Coywolf did the same, the pair resuming movements as they swept their view around the room. Perseus turned and raised his sidearm along with his gaze, sweeping over the catwalks above them for any other possible combatants. He frowned when he found nothing, finding the lack of mammals suspicious.

"The place appears to be empty." Daedalus whispered, Perseus nodding his head.

"I don't like it. Reminds me of Bunny Burrow." The Lynx muttered, Daedalus glancing at him. He remained silent, however, and Perseus turned so he could see where he was going.

They came to a door, Perseus holding up a stop signal as he slowly raised himself to a stand. He reached out and slowly twisted the door handle, opening the door just as slowly before peeking his head in. He looked around, then locked his gaze on the laptop sitting on the table in the corner. He gestured for Daedalus to follow him, then stepped into the room.

Perseus signalled for Daedalus to shut the door, waiting for the tiny click before signalling towards the corner in front of the door. Daedalus crouched in the corner, gun aimed at the door, as Perseus approached the laptop cautiously. He consulted his mental clock, then nodded to himself. They still had a few minutes before the distraction went off. Perseus raised his NVGs so he didn't blind himself when the machine booted up.

Opening the laptop quickly, Perseus was relieved to see there was no password requirement on the device. He reached into his pocket and pulled a small USB stick out, plugging it into the laptop. He hoped there was enough space on the USB for any information the laptop might hold.

Of course, there was the chance this was just a random laptop, but they would have to risk it.

Perseus waited for the USB to boot up, then clicked on the Files folder when the device was recognized. He highlighted everything and sent it to the USB, not really caring what it was. He didn't have time to search carefully through the mess.

When everything was loaded Perseus pulled the USB free and turned, approaching the door with sidearm drawn. He opened it and stepped out, clearing the view in front of him and to his sides, then stepping out. Daedalus followed, tapping him on the shoulder to get his attention. Perseus turned and Daedalus pointed to an office on the second floor.

"We should check, just in case." The Coywolf whispered, Perseus nodding his head.

"You stay here, keep an eye out. I'll check the office." The Lynx said, Daedalus nodding his head in agreement. Perseus handed Daedalus an earpiece as he fit one into his own ear, Daedalus doing the same. They did a quick check, then nodded to each other. Daedalus hurried over to behind a small box, crouching down behind it as Perseus turned and approached the stairs.

Perseus climbed slowly and silently, making sure to put his hind paws down as lightly as possible as he approached the top rung. He cleared it and approached the office, opening the door and stepping inside.

Holstering his pistol after clearing the room, Perseus approached the laptop that lay on the desk. He raised his NVGs and opened the laptop, plugging in the USB when the desktop screen immediately sprung into existence.

The security on the computers was incredibly lax. Almost suspiciously so.

Perseus ignored the gnawing feeling in his gut as he copied everything over to the USB, thinking the information would be useful even if it didn't pertain to what they wanted.

" _Yo, Percy, we got a problem."_ Perseus froze at Daedalus' words as they came over the earpiece, feeling panic grip him for all of two seconds.

"What's the issue?" Perseus asked, approaching the door.

" _I found out where the other mammals were."_ Daedalus answered with annoyance clear in his voice, Perseus stepping out from the office and looking down. He let out a quiet groan of annoyance when he saw at least a dozen mammals with automatic rifles all pointed in Daedalus' direction.

"Great. Just hold out for a moment. Not much longer now." Perseus ordered, hearing a grunt of confirmation from Daedalus. Perseus looked around, then turned and fired his Rope Launcher, praying the mammals below didn't hear it. When they gave no sign of hearing it, he reached up and removed his NVGs, securing them on his belt and pulling the Bearetta APX from its holster. He silently climbed over the ledge of the catwalk, planting his hind paws against the side and looking down. "Three. Two. One."

The sound of explosions reached them, the mammals turning and letting out gasps. Daedalus stood from cover and fired off three shots as Perseus pushed off from the side of the catwalk and set his Rope Launcher to let out slack. Three mammals fell to the ground under him.

Perseus came to a stop, the Lynx quickly thumbing the release button that had been recently implemented and dropping to the ground. He turned and fired off a shot into the head of a Leopard, swinging his arm as the hook on the Rope Launcher wheeled towards him. The rope coiled around a Jaguar's neck, the hook sinking into his neck. Perseus jerked his arm and pulled the fellow Feline closer, dodging the stumbling mammal and jerking his arm once more. The Jaguar jerked to a stop, legs leaving the ground at the sudden force applied to their upper body.

Perseus thumbed the release againand the barbs retreated into the hook, the line wheeling back into Perseus' bracer.

Daedalus appeared in his peripheral, sending a Jackal to the ground with a shoulder charge and sending a bullet into the Canine's head. He turned and fired again, the gun in his paws letting out an only slightly quieted bark as the firearm discharged and sent a bullet into the skull of a Grey Fox.

Perseus whirled around and dodged a swing from a Cheetah, sending his knee into their gut and bringing his elbow down into the back of their head. He sent a round into the Feline's head, then turned and did the same to a Hyena as they ran at him.

Daedalus took a hit to his back, turning and slamming his leg into the side of a Bobcat's head and sending the smaller Feline to the ground. He fired a shot into their skull, then turned and fired a couple shots into the head of a Liger coming at Perseus from behind.

Both of them turned at the sound of a terrified whimper, their sidearms ready. A Wolf threw his arms up, dropping the gun he'd been holding.

"Give!" He shouted, Perseus and Daedalus exchanging looks. "I give! Give! Give! I give!"

"...I don't think he speaks English as a primary." Perseus remarked, him and Daedalus turning to each other. They both shrugged and turned back to the Wolf, both of them pulling the trigger. The Wolf fell to the ground with a barely held together skull, the two Assassins reloading their sidearms casually.

"We should probably get out of here. It's likely the police will be here soon, and I doubt they'd be willing to let us go when they've not met us before." Daedalus said, Perseus grunting in agreement. They both began to jog towards the exit, pausing to grab the pack from where they'd left it.

After stopping by an abandoned fire barrel with a still-burning fire in it and dumping the remote, Perseus and Daedalus lowered themselves into an alleyway before slowly slinking towards the door on the side of the building.

Daedalus lightly knocked on the door, waiting for a moment. The door opened slowly and an unfamiliar Wolf stuck their head out, looking between the Coywolf and Lynx.

"Are you associated with Jacob?" She asked, Perseus nodding.

"Yes ma'am. We're here to deliver something for him we were asked to retrieve." The Lynx answered, the female Wolf opening the door.

"Alright. I'll let him know you two are here." She said, turning and walking away. Perseus and Daedalus stepped inside, looking around and letting out a pleased hum at the furnishing that gave the place life. They both turned at seeing something in their peripherals.

Jacob stepped into the room with a yawn, shaking his head.

"You know, you could have waited until the morning to deliver this." He remarked, Perseus chuckling.

"Yeah, well, we figured you'd want it as soon as possible." Perseus glanced at Daedalus, then towards the female Wolf with a faint grin. "Were we, uh, interrupting something?"

"No, no. Unless you count my sleep." Jacob answered, Perseus huffing in amusement. Jacob turned towards the female Wolf. "David, Percy, this is Kate Wu. Former Commander of the Operators." He said, the duo blinking in unison. "Kate, this is David and Percy, otherwise known as Daedalus and Perseus. They were a part of a Templar Hit Squad a few years back, but they defected when their squad was wiped out by two of our highest ranking Assassins."

"Well, nice to meet you, David, Percy." Kate said, sending a short wave their way.

"It's nice to see that the Operators aren't as wiped out as everybody thought." David said, smiling softly. Percy had to agree with him in that regard.

"Now, you said you had the stuff I requested?" Jacob asked, turning to Percy and David. The Lynx pulled the USB out and tossed it to him, Jacob catching it and dipping his head in thanks. "I'll check this out in the morning. With how quickly you finished your mission, I already know you didn't bother sifting through stuff." He said, placing the USB down on the small table.

"That's fine by us." Percy said, glancing at David. "Well, we should probably go now. Let you get back to sleep." He said, Jacob waving him off.

"Yes, please do." The melanistic Wolf said, Percy and David turning and walking out with waves of farewell.

Jacob waited for the door to close before he turned to Kate.

"What?" She asked, Jacob arching an eyebrow.

"Did you have to let them in? Why not just tell them to come back in the morning or something?" He asked, Kate chuckling.

"Aw, I'm sorry, does not knotting make you cranky?" She asked teasingly, Jacob grumbling as he hunched his shoulders. "Well come on then. I see no problem in finishing what we started."

Percy stepped into the house he and David had been sharing for the past several years, the Coywolf shutting the door behind him.

"They were totally doing it before we got there." David remarked, Percy rolling his eyes.

"David, I already agreed five minutes ago. You don't have to say it again." The Lynx said, shaking his head as he reached up and lowered the fabric from his muzzle. The both of them went about removing their Brotherhood uniforms and gear, though simply set them aside. They'd put their stuff up later.

It was a few minutes later, both now dressed in casual clothing, that found the two of them sitting on the couch. Both were doing their own thing, though they both kept stealing glances at each other. Percy snorted in amusement at a picture he'd found on his phone, turning it and shoeing it to David. The Coywolf flushed as he turned to look at it.

The picture was several years old, around a few weeks before their mission in Bunny Burrow, and depicted a rather drunk Percy placing a long and rather sensual lick up the side of David's neck. The Coywolf was stock still, eyes wide at the sudden display, and a flush heated his face. The glass he'd been holding was in mid fall in the picture, his paws having gone slack from shock.

"You said you deleted that!" David exclaimed, Percy chuckling.

"Oh but David, how could I resist holding onto something to embarrass you with?" The Lynx asked, a purr of amusement rumbling forth from his chest. David subconsciously shivered slightly at the sound.

He'd always found Feline purrs appealing, though he was unsure as to why.

There was silence for several moments as they went back to doing whatever to kill time, until Percy suddenly locked up. His paw shook ever so slightly as he stared at his phone, David's ears perking up at the sound of his friend's breathing beginning to rattle. He turned his head, curious what had his friend upset. As his gaze found Percy's screen, he felt himself freeze, though more in surprise than being upset.

The picture was even older than the one with Percy licking him in his drunken state, though not too old to have begun fading from either of their memories. Him and Percy had only recently began their jobs as a Templar Hit Squad. At the time they'd thought they were simply security for a firm or something similar.

David had been laughing at something Percy had said – that _had_ faded by now – while the Lynx had a rather unflattering expression, being in mid snort. Also in the picture were David's brother, Mikael, and a rather attractive female Wolf, his wife, Vera.

Percy, being a science fiction fan, had naturally found the name amusing. David less so.

The Coywolf smiled faintly at the memories that the picture brought with it.

 _Several Years Earlier_

As their laughter died down, the four mammals all shook their heads.

"David, you have got to have Percy come over some more, tell more stories." The female Wolf, Vera, remarked.

"Eh..." David said, drawing the word out in hesitation.

"I'm serious, David. I mean jeez, I can't even begin to imagine the stories you must have from your time training for your jobs." Vera said, David shrugging.

"It wasn't as intense as you think. Some paw to paw drills, simple things like that. A few tactics for various things. Not as major as police training or anything like that." The Coywolf said, Vera frowning.

"Honestly, the only thing you'd really find interesting was that I drunkedly told everybody I was bi. That's about it." Percy remarked, the female Wolf blinking.

"Really? Wow, I never would have guessed." She commented, Percy's eye twitching ever so faintly at the words.

"Yeah, I've gotten that a lot. Seems not acting like a Hollywood cliché means you aren't eligible for being anything other than straight." The Lynx said, a small hint of anger in his voice contradicting the smile he said it with. David eyed his friend warily while Vera and Mikael both looked surprised. "Sorry. Just kinda annoying, hearing that so much." He said after a moment, shaking his head.

"No, it's fine. I suppose that wasn't very considerate to say." Vera said, clearly embarrassed by the matter. Mikael exchanged a glance with David, clearly unsure how to react. He stood.

"Well, I should probably go. The bus leaves at twelve sharp tomorrow, so I need to wake up early." He said, smiling softly.

"Alright. See ya whenever, bro." David said, clapping him on the shoulder as he passed. He raised the glass in front of him up to drink from it, then paused as something caught his eye. He didn't turn his head, just turned his gaze enough to see.

A Ram sat at the bar, eyes on his brother as the younger Coywolf headed for the exit. David's grip slowly tightened on the glass, feeling his protective instincts beginning to kick in at the thought that his brother might be in danger.

"Hey, David. You alright, buddy?" Percy asked, distracting him and making him turn away from the Ram. His grip slackened slightly.

"Yeah, sorry. That Ram just unnerves me." He answered, shaking his head as he sat the glass down.

"Ignore him, David. You can't really blame him, not after all the attacks lately since that...incident." Vera said, David scoffing. "I mean, I'm not saying I agree, but I can understand the fear."

"I still can't believe that Bunny had the stones to say something like that." Percy said, sneering in disdain.

"I dunno, something tells me that Officer Hopps didn't really mean it. I mean, that doesn't excuse that she said it, obviously, but...I dunno, just a feeling." David shook his head, not entirely sure he was comfortable discussing the attacks.

David turned his head slightly, glancing towards the bar. He nearly jumped when he saw the Ram was gone, though stopped himself. He was being jumpy for no reason. Vera was right. The Ram was most likely just nervous. Minutes passed.

"Well, I hate to say it, but I think now's a good time for me to head home. I don't think the boss will be happy with us if we report to work any more hungover than we will be." Percy said, David catching onto his meaning.

"Yeah, I agree. I think it's time to call it. Vera?" David said, the female Wolf chuckling.

"Sounds fine by me." She said, the three mammals standing.

"See ya tomorrow, Perce." David said, the Feline grinning.

"Yeah, same here." He said, the trio pushing in their seats and walking towards the door.

 _Present Day_

David sighed, shaking his head. To think that only the next day had been the day his brother had been hit with that Nighthowler serum. Or that only a year had passed since they'd been forced to terminate him, since he'd not responded to any of the treatments they'd tried.

Him and Vera hadn't lasted long after Mikael had been euthanized, though he was still unsure as to what really caused it. They'd both agreed that it was mutual, though neither of them could agree on a reason. They just hadn't lasted.

Percy had avoided him for a few days after he and Vera had split, but he wouldn't really say why. David had tried to start a conversation multiple times, but the Lynx just either refused to respond or ended the conversation quickly.

"Hey, Percy, can I ask you something?" David asked, the Lynx nearly dropping his phone as he jumped in surprise. He shook his head to clear it.

"Sorry. Yeah, sure, go ahead." He said, David opening his mouth, then hesitating. He took a deep breath.

"I want an actual answer to this, Perce. Why did you avoid me after me and Vera split?" David asked, Percy locking up for a long moment, eyes wide. He hesitated, clearly trying to formulate a response but failing to come up with something he liked.

"I guess...I guess I just thought you'd want some space." He finally answered, shrugging. David could tell he was lying.

"Don't give me that, Percy. Just tell me." David said, the Lynx sighing but remaining otherwise silent for a long moment.

"I was just...god, just remembering it makes me feel like a jerk, but I was happy. At first, I couldn't really explain it. I was confused as to why I would be happy when I know that's not how somebody is supposed to feel when their best friend and their wife break up." There was a long pause as Percy let David digest the information. "After a bit of thinking, it came to me. I realized why I was happy." Percy turned his head slightly, a sad smile touching his muzzle.

"Perce, what are you...what are you saying?" David asked, clearly confused. Percy chuckled softly.

"I don't blame ya, David. I know how you can be a bit dense." He joked, David blinking in confusion. He was silent as he considered that, then blinked in shock when he suddenly realized just what Percy was saying.

"Wait, Perce, are you...?" The Lynx sighed sadly and nodded.

"Yeah. I am." He said, eyes lowered towards the floor. "And I feel _terrible_ about it, David. I feel like such a horrible friend." The Coywolf tilted his head.

"Why do you feel like a bad friend for something you can't help?" David asked, clearly confused as to the logic behind Percy's statement. The Lynx was silent, however, as he stood from the couch and walked towards the bedroom. "Perce?"

"Just...stay in here for a bit. Let me calm down and stuff." The Lynx said, shutting the door. David sighed and shook his head.

It felt odd, knowing his oldest friend had a crush on him, but he supposed he wasn't too surprised. Percy always had been friendlier with him than others, though by the way he phrased his words he had only realized it not too long ago. Soon after he and Vera split, apparently. So while it was an odd feeling, he wasn't going to avoid the Lynx. He was his closest friend, after all, and something like that shouldn't change the fact.

Percy sat down on his small, single mammal bed, clutching his head with a single paw. He didn't know how to describe the things he was feeling. Elation, he supposed, was the closest word to describe it, though only vaguely. It felt like such a massive weight he'd not known was there had been lifted from his shoulders. Like some invisible thing had been dragging him down without him realizing. He clenched his free paw, feeling it shake slightly as his teeth clenched. A sad chuckle escaped him.

In an odd way, he felt free.

It was several days later, Percy still reluctant to vocally communicate to David beyond small grunts and the like, that found the two of them standing on opposite sides of the island in the kitchen. It was a thin island, and both of them could reach the other if they wanted to. They were silent, however, simply staring at each other. Finally, David sighed.

"Perce, listen, I'm not going to stop being your friend just because of something you can't help. I don't know if you actually think I would or not, but if so then I dunno why. We've been together for years, through thick and thin, and I just...I need to tell you something." The Coywolf said, Percy arching an eyebrow.

"I know you're not gonna stop being my friend, David." He remarked, though he did lean forward slightly as his position adjusted, leaning onto his elbows. "So, what do you wanna tell me, hm?" He asked, the Coywolf opening his muzzle, then pausing. He frowned.

"Come 'ere." He said, Percy arching an eyebrow in confusion but complying nevertheless. Percy hopped up onto a chair, since the side he'd moved to didn't have a step for him to climb on. It was an extra feature they'd had installed, though only on one side since it took up room.

"Alright, what do you want to tell me, David? It'd better be important." Percy said, the Coywolf chuckling.

"I promise you Perce, it's important." He said reassuringly, a faint grin touching his muzzle for all of one second. He ignored the TV in the background, having turned it on to check the news before he'd been distracted by Percy coming into the kitchen. "So, I was thinking about a few things, and I realized something. I realized why me and Vera ended up not working out." He smiled faintly. "When you were injured all those years ago in Bunny Burrow, I was _so scared_ that I'd lost you at first. I could barely even see the point of accepting Judy and Nick's offer. And then, when we got back to the city, I was scared that you'd be permanantly injured for the rest of your life. A limp or something at best and paralyzed at worst. But, miraculously, you were okay for the most part, except for being out of action for a while to be safe. When Mikael died, I went to you. I didn't go to Vera, despite her being my wife. I found more comfort in you then I did her during those days, and I think...I think she saw it first." Percy was silent for a long moment, his gaze just kinda wandering as he processed what he was hearing. After a moment passed, he let out a small, single breath-laugh of amazement.

"Are...are you serious?" He asked, David smiling faintly and dipping his head. The Lynx smiled, letting out another breath-laugh at the motion. His head lowered as thoughts raced through his head, blinking when he felt David's paw raise his head up. He locked up as the Coywolf gently pressed his muzzle to his own, feeling shock hit him like a jumper hit concrete from twenty stories up. He relaxed into it, moving to deepen it when something he never wanted to hear reached his ears from the TV.

" _Another explosion at an abandoned warehouse has authorities concerned. We now take you live to Jennifer Pawson, who's at the site. Jennifer?"_ Both of them pulled away and turned towards the TV, shock on their faces.

"That's...that's Jacob's safehouse."

 **And that does it for Chapter 45 of Zootopian Assassins! So now Percy and David are a thing. I kinda hinted at it back in Chapter 26, 27, or 28. I forget which, but I know that I did. As you know, last Chapter and this Chapter are called Feelings and Feelings II, respectively. This theme shall continue in Lumi and Is/Sven's Chapter as well as Judy and Nick's, since they all deal mostly with their emotions and the like. I may have messed up the timeline of the story by having David and Percy start as Templars during the Nighthowler Crisis, but I think it's fine. I'm assuming the movie takes place in either 2014 of 2015, both of which would make sense. Tell me what you thought about the hookups with both Jacob/Blake and Kate, as well as Percy and David. I wanted to make both of them be more implied than actually explicitly true, but y'know. Also, yes, I'm aware the analogy to describe Percy's shock when David kissed him is incredibly morbid. I don't know what possessed me to make it up, let alone use it, but I did so yeah. Anyway, this is getting long enough, I will see you guys...next update. Word Count: 5,536**


	47. The Truth

**Hey guys Price here and welcome to Chapter 46 of Zootopian Assassins! I hope you guys enjoyed last Chapter, because I certainly did. Pair the Spares seems to be in full effect right now. Also, I got permission to use OCs of authors. Some well known, some not so well known. I got permission to use the Honeywell staff from the fic Lost Causes and Broken Dreams (gonna enjoy using Jason) by Eng050599, as well as one or two others that I can't remember off the top of my head. I'll add them to the list I'll put at the end of the Chapter when I find out, though. Really should write them down or something. Oh, right, almost forgot, but got some from LapisLucius42 and get to use his Assassins characters from his own story. If ya don't recognize him, read the reviews on FF. Love that guy. Platonically, that is. Read his story. It's amazing, and much shorter than mine. Plus the plot actually holds up and is clearly thought out and planned beforehand. Alright, I'm getting off track. Basically, I have Characters to use and abuse when Chapter 50 rolls around aside from my own, so that's good. That Chapter is gonna be an absolute gore fest. Also, from now on I'll be referring to Jacob as Blake, but only if he and Kate are the only ones around. Anyway, that's enough of that, I think it's time to get...onto the story!**

Blake stared at the computer screen in front of him with a concentration similar to a Feline watching a laser pointer. He was only about twenty files in, and he still had to sift through dozens, if not hundreds more of them. He paused as his gaze latched onto a specific line.

 _'The Grandmaster has ordered that all surviving assets go into hibernation until further notice. Failure to comply puts you at risk of arrest or at the end of an Assassin's weapon.'_ Blake found the line about arrest to be oddly specific. It still wasn't enough to go on, or so the Elders would argue, but Blake would take anything he could to end the fight in Zootopia. If only for a little while, since it was highly unlikely taking out the Grandmaster for Animalia would do much of anything aside from give the Assassins some peace for a year, at most, or a month at the least.

It wasn't good, but it was better than the alternative of being wiped out. Then again, if they ended up staging a frontal assault, that may happen anyway.

Blake nearly jumped from the couch when he felt a set of paws come to rest on his shoulders, relaxing when he realized it was only Kate.

"You shouldn't sneak up on me like that." He remarked, raising his head to look at her.

"And you need to take a break. You've been looking at that stuff since you woke up, only pausing to eat a piece of toast. I know it's important, Blake, but you need to learn how to take breaks when you need to." Kate said, looking down at him. Blake smiled.

"I know. Let me finish this file up, at least, and then I'll take a break." He said, Kate arching at eyebrow. He sighed. "Let me finish this file _please_." He said, Kate chuckling.

"Alright, I will." She said, leaning down until her muzzle was next to his ear. "But I'd not recommend keeping me waiting." Blake let out a strangled noise of surprise, ears perking up and tail standing up. It lightly began to thump the couch after a few seconds, Kate laughing at that.

"I shouldn't be long. But please, don't feel like you should wait if you so desire." Blake said, Kate pausing in surprise at the bold statement. Sure, he'd gotten a lot more forward since they'd started sleeping together in a romantic sense, but never this forward. He picke dup on her silence almost immediately, ears losing their perk. "Sorry, was that too much?" He asked, turning to face her in concern. Kate smiled softly, shaking her head.

"Not at all. Just surprised me, I guess." She answered, turning and walking away with a small swish of her tail. Blake watched her as she did so, tongue flicking out and wetting his suddenly dry lips. He cleared his throat quietly and turned back to the computer.

He ignored the small bounce it gave as he tried to mix hurrying through the file with memorizing it.

A few hours later found Blake laying in bed, Kate snuggled up against him. He could only smile softly at her, turning his body slightly so they were laying chest to chest. He lowered his head and began to draw slow, lazy strokes of his tongue across the top of her head, smoothing down the ruffled fur and grimacing at the salty taste of sweat. He continued these actions for a time, not noticing the fact that Kate had awoken at the first lazy stroke of his tongue.

 _'It's amazing how I seem so content around her. I don't think I've ever felt this way before, even with my Brothers and Sisters back in Germany, or even my actual brother.'_ Blake paused his impromptu wash to smile at the thought, not expecting Kate to raise her head in questioning.

"Why'd you stop?" She asked, Blake blinking.

"Uh...how long have you been awake?" He asked nervously, Kate arching an eyebrow.

"Since the first lick. Why?" Blake felt himself stiffen at that, feeling embarrassment seize hold of him.

"It's uh...it's not just something that you do is all, at least not where I'm from." He answered, averting his gaze as his face flushed. Kate was silent for all of two seconds before a low chuckle escaped from her, followed soon after by a full on laughing fit. After she calmed down, she looked at him in amusement.

"Why are you so embarrassed by that? We're family, aren't we?" She asked, Blake letting out a small gasp and turning his gaze back to her. His eyes were wide, shock hitting him hard at her words. "I mean, I don't know about you, but this...this isn't something I'd be willing to do with just anybody." Blake's expression softened after a moment, a soft and short chuckle escaping him.

"Yeah. Yeah, I guess we are family." He said, Kate blinking in surprise by his confirmation. "When I let you in that first time, I made a silent vow, in a way. My family has always been really into the 'first is the last' type of thing when it comes to relationships. That excludes the kithood and teen stuff, since those are rarely things that last more than a month at best. But what we have here? If I still had a family, they'd be all over me to propose." He added with a chuckle, Kate flushing at the last sentence.

"A-already? But it hasn't even been six months!" She said, Blake feeling a grin settle into place as an idea formed at Kate's words. He rolled over and raised himself up to where he was holding himself up above her, a glint in his eyes.

"Oh? Is somebody scared of commitment?" He asked, Kate's muzzle forming a grin of her own.

"Not commitment itself, no, just commitment to the wrong mammal." Her legs came up and wrapped around his waist, Kate raising her head and pressing her muzzle to his. Blake let out a small growl of love.

"And? Am I the right mammal?" He asked when they pulled apart, Kate smiling. She used her grip on his waist to pull him forward.

"I dunno, am I the right mammal for you?" She asked, Blake chuckling.

"You, Kate Wu, are absolutely perfect for me." He answered, lowering his head and pressing his muzzle to hers softly, Kate's paw coming up and softly gripping his head as he obliged her in her desires.

The next day found Blake reading more information from file number one hundred eighty, a frown on his muzzle. He hadn't found anything else, or at least nothing of use, since the day prior. He'd found a few dossiers on the heads of security, intelligence, and a few other various brances. And, save for the head of security, a Red Panda by the name of Otso, all were confirmed as dead.

Blake suspected there was more to that Red Panda than met the eye, considering he was the only mammal to survive not just one, but _two_ encounters with Lumi and survive. Blake had another sneaking suspicion that he had not been killed in his previous encounter. If he had, the cops would have found the body. Instead, all they'd found was a blood trail that ended right where it began.

Unless the Red Panda had the aide of the supernatural, something Blake highly doubted, that meant there was a possible Piece in play. And where there was a Piece, one could expect hell when it came to trying to eliminate the wielder.

If it was an Apple, that only made things ten times worse. But that would be highly unlikely. It was possible he had enough strands of the Shroud woven into his clothes and pretended to be damaged so as to make an escape, or he wore it underneath his outfit.

It that was the case, then Blake seriously hoped Lumi would be able to beat him when they next faced off. If not, they would be in trouble when it came time to go after the Grandmaster.

Blake sighed as he closed the file, deleting it so as to keep track of where he was. He continued through the files with a bored expression, eventually drawing the attention of Kate who watched over his shoulder in interest. After a while, she tapped his shoulder. He turned.

"You know, I ran intelligence for a while before I became Commander. I could probably tell you which files to look through." She said, Blake blinking in surprise.

"You ran intelligence?" He asked, tilting his head. Kate shrugged.

"It wasn't too difficult. Most of our work was clearing terrorists and the like, or organized crime groups. Most of said organized crime groups were incredibly mediocre in terms of keeping their servers secure. Nowadays, though, they're all a lot better." She answered, reaching down and lifting his computer up, placing it into a paw as she exited the file and began to click at intermediate times. After a moment she hummed and handed the electronic back, Blake taking it and looking at the screen. He sputtered at the five remaining files.

"Kate! Five files!?" He shouted, whirling his head around.

"Relax, they were all logistics or personal things. Nothing was lost." Kate said, Blake feeling a spark of anger inside him.

"How could you possible know that!? For all you know, they labeled some of them as logistics so hackers wouldn't suspect them!" Kate scoffed at that, shaking her head.

"The Templars are smart, Blake." She said, the melanistic Wolf opening his maw. "Which means that they aren't going to label incredibly sensitive information like what we're searching for as a simple logistics report where anybody could accidentally find it. That would be something only an idiot would do." She finished, Blake pausing at the words. He blinked.

"You...you're right." He said, turning back to the computer. "But if you're wrong, Kate..."

"If I'm wrong, then we'll have to go off what we do have. Simple as that." Kate said, Blake sighing as he opened the first file. He immediately perked up at the first line.

" _'The Grand Master has ordered all sensitive information scrubbed from the databanks. Failure to comply will result in termination.'_ " Blake read, finding the words to be suspicious. "If they ordered to scrub, why does this still have info on it?" He questioned, frowning in thought. He found no other information of interest on the file and sighed, closing it and deleting it. He heard Kate let out a growl of frustration at having one guess be slightly wrong, though didn't address it.

He opened the second, eyes widening in a mixture of shock and horror at the picture of Lumi and Is leaving Jim's Gun Store, knowing full well what the picture could mean. If the Templars knew where they worked, that put innocent civilians at risk.

 _'Well, partially innocent. The owner_ is _an Associate.'_ He thought glumly, knowing that whatever happened to the Wolf would not be good.

Below that picture was another, this time of Officers Hopps and Wilde leaving Precinct One. They were cirlced with the words _'HIGH PRIORITY'_ written in red marker. He slowly began to realize what the file was, and exited out of it before he saw the next one. He didn't delete it, however, knowing it might be useful somehow.

The third remaining folder was just a small list of reports, Blake skimming over them with little attention. He closed the folder and deleted it, Kate letting out another growl of anger. He glanced at her, but otherwise ignored it. There were still two other folders.

The fourth folder was not something he expected to see, _ever_. Inside it were detailed plans of what to do in case Lumi and Is were ever captured alive. Some were of simple, old fashioned torturing for imformation to incredibly painful sounding and detailed descriptions of a male Feline's reproductive organ, specifically the size of the spines on several of the Big Cats. He shivered in disgust and horror, closing the folder as it began to delve into areas he never wanted to go close to again, deleting the folder in haste. Kate was too horrified to even acknowledge she'd been wrong.

The final folder made him lock up in shock, a gasp escaping Kate as their gazes rested on the photo in front of them.

"Oh my god..." Kate whispered, her eyes wide, as Blake slowly leaned back into the couch cushion. He took a deep breath, gesturing for her to back away. Kate did so, clearly confused by the request.

"THAT SON OF A VIXEN!" Blake shouted, standing and flipping the table in anger. Kate let out a yelp at the sudden action, leaping back slightly. Blake turned and raised his paws, clenching them in anger as he stalked towards where he kept his rifle.

"Blake? Blake, what are you doing?" Kate asked worriedly, the melanistic Wolf looking at her after a moment.

"I just need to go out for a bit. Blow off some steam." He answered, turning and approaching the location once more. He was stopped by something gripping his wrist, Blake blinking as he turned. Kate was staring at him, absolute malice in her eyes.

"Believe me, Blake, I want nothing more than to go out and skin that bastard and parade around in it, but that would just end up with me dead and likely tipping him off that we know. As much as it pains me to say, we have to stay low for a while longer. At least until we're confident we can win in a fight against him." She said, her voice dripping with hatred and anger. Blake returned her stare for a few seconds, then sighed in defeat.

"I know. You're right. Thank you." Blake said quietly, turning to face her. He pulled her closer, resting his head on top of hers as his arms wrapped around her. Kate, of course, took the chance and lightly nibbled on his neck. Blake groaned quietly at the feeling, eyelids fluttering slightly as Kate began to place long, slow licks on his neck. She pulled him away from where his gun lay, shuffling backwards until she had him where she wanted. She pushed him back, Blake falling into a sitting position on the couch. Kate clambered into his lap, pressing her muzzle to his as her paws worked at his shirt.

Blake was the faster one, however, and he had Kate's shirt off first. He ran his paws over her naked upper body, Kate letting out a quiet groan as his paws ruffled fur and sent shivers up her spine. Blake placed his paws on her sides and pulled her closer, pressing his muzzle to her body and taking a deep breath.

Blake's eyes closed as he took in Kate's scent, both regular and excitement, for a long moment. They both sat there for a long moment, silent as Kate let him just bask in the comfort her scent brought him. It was deeper than the bond they'd grown to share. In a way, it dictated his behavior. If Kate was stressed or upset, then so was he and vice versa.

To him, she smelled like something one would expect her to smell like, but at the same time she didn't. To others, she smelled just like a regular female Wolf, somebody you'd meet any random day on any random street at any random city in the world. To him, she smelled like home. Like safety. Like comfort.

To him, her smell screamed 'mate' at the top of its lungs. Under normal circumstances, he'd be concerned how close he'd become to her in such a short time. Under normal circumstances, he would have kept the two of them busy at all times so they saw as little of each other as possible unless he allowed it. Under normal circumstances, he would have just left her to die on that fateful day, condemmed by fate to be a simple casualty of war. Somebody who got into the middle of the fighting and paid the price.

And yet, here he was, holding her close as he sniffed in that comforting scent of hers. He hadn't left her behind that day, and until now he'd not been able to figure out why. Nor why he allowed her free movement instead of keeping her restrained like what the smart thing would have been. She was an outside player in a game she had no business in, and yet he allowed her to do as she pleased, trusting her not to leave in the night. And, despite the odds, she'd stayed. She had proven that she understood the consequences of her allowing one of her subordinates to enter the fight, and that her mistake had nearly cost her everything she held dear. She had proven she could be _trusted_ , not because of her understanding, but because of the fact she accepted his word and trusted him to do the same in regards to her. Because she had stayed, despite the fact she didn't know him, nor his intentions. He could have done anything to her in her weakened state, and there was little she would have been able to do about that. Yet she trusted him to not do anything. She believed he was a better mammal than that.

The reason he'd not left her behind that day was because he'd been in love from the start. He wasn't sure if he fell in love with her strength as a mammal or her appearance first, but it had been love at first sight for him. Perhaps even before that, when he'd first heard stories about her when looking up the Operators. Normally, the fact he'd fallen in love with somebody so fast would have worried him. But this was hardly what one could call 'normal' to begin with, so he would not be worried by it.

Blake pulled away from Kate, raising his head up and pressing his muzzle to hers, feeling her remove his shirt but not really caring. It only got in the way, after all. Next came the lower garments, naturally, but they both paused there. They looked at each other, silent save for their breathing for the longest time.

"I love you, Blake." Kate said quietly, Blake smiling softly.

"Love you too, Kate." He said, the Timber Wolf leaning down and pressing her muzzle to his roughly at the same time she lowered herself.

Not even an hour later they both sat there, their chests heaving and tingles of pleasure still coursing through them both. Kate's eyes were closed, though she was far from asleep. Her paw gripped Blake's loose collection of fur on his chest, rotating a digit around in it in boredom. Blake himself was just looking at the wall, both of them silent as they let each other stew in their own private thoughts.

"You know, yesterday you said that your family, if you still had them, would be all over you to propose to me." Kate suddenly remarked, Blake blinking and lowering his head towards hers.

"I did." He confirmed, Kate humming in thought.

"Was...was that a roundabout way of asking me?" She asked after another moment passed, Blake blinking in surprise. Kate sounded more awkward than he'd ever heard her, and he found it oddly amusing.

"Well, that depends, I guess. Since we're already mates, technically, I'd be pressured since that's just how things are done in my family. Bringing up that fact is a valid way to do so, though they are not necessarily mutually exclusive." He paused. "I'm not sure if that's correct usage of that phrase, but whatever."

"Well, if I'm being honest, I consider it one." Kate remarked, Blake blinking in surprise at her.

"You don't have to, Kate. Like I'm sure you know, now isn't exactly the safest time for something like that." He pointed out, Kate chuckling. Blake arched an eyebrow.

"Well, let me give you my answer anyway." With that remark, Kate gently pressed her muzzle to his, the both of them letting out little noises of pleasure as he movement tugged on Blake slightly, a tingle running up both of them. Kate gasped quietly, her paws clenching around the pawfulls of fur the action gave her. It took a moment for Blake to realize what had happened.

"Did you just-"

"Don't even comment on that."

"Yes ma'am."

They both went silent, Kate leaning against Blake with a small smile on her muzzle. Eventually, the pair of them fell asleep like that, not really caring about whatever mess it caused.

Two days later found Jacob looking at his computer once more. Luckily it hadn't been damaged by his outburst, which was a good thing. That meant he could still look at all the data.

Blake paused as he stared at the one file he'd not deleted besides the one with the information on the Grandmaster. The one with the pictures.

He wasn't sure he wanted to look through the rest of them, but at the same time he needed to see who else they had info on. He opened the file, scrolling down to the photo he'd left on two days prior. He steeled himself, then scrolled down one more.

The picture he found was of Perseus and Daedalus, something that didn't really surprise him. Of course they'd find the ones who'd turned traitor. He sighed, thinking about how the whole sitaution was a mess, when he scrolled down to the last picture. He felt his blood freeze and his heart skip a bit as horror overtook him, Blake slowly standing and moving away from the computer.

Kate walked out of the bathroom rubbing herself down with a towel, pausing as she layed eyes on him. She realized what he was staring at and approached the couch, looking at the photo. She locked up, staying stock still for several moments before she turned.

"We have to scrub." She said, Blake nodding in agreement. He walked over to the console set into the wall, stepping onto a floor tile that shifted. He ignored it, opening the terminal. It was a lot less advanced than the one at the first safehouse, only having a keyboard and no voice function. It did have a print scanner, however, so there was at least that. He read the text that popped up.

 _ **IDENTIFY**_

"Alrighty then, let's identify." He muttered, typing his code into the console and waiting for the response. The screen chimed and flashed green, indicating that the charges were primed. He typed in a command for a ten minute timer, then shut the terminal and turned away, finding Kate waiting with a duffel bag slung over her shoulders and her own M42 Greatcoat he'd gotten her afer she kept pestering him for one.

At least she hadn't asked for white fur dye and red contacts.

"Ready to leave. Clothes and weapon packed." Kate reported, Blake dipping his head. He hurried over to where he kept his stuff, quickly changing into his knife-laden outfit. He pulled his own greatcoat on, moving to button it up. He paused as a beep reached his ear, turning his head in confusion. His eyes widened as he realized what it was.

"Down!" He shouted, Kate letting out a sound of surprise even as she turned and leapt away, landing inside the bathroom as the main door and the back door exploded inwards, the sounds of breaching charges reaching Blake even as he reached up and worked the greatcoat off. It would serve no practical purpose in combat.

Blake drew a knife and raised himself up, launching the knife into the skull of the first mammal to enter his sights. The Coywolf's head jerked back with enough force to pull their feet off the ground as they fell, Blake ducking back down before the others could realize where he'd thrown from. He looked up towards the other door to see a group of mammals approaching him, weapons drawn. He sighed, preparing to stand in mock surrender when Kate spun into view behind the mammals, the greatcoat's back end raised up from where she'd reached inside and drawn her sidearms.

Speaking of which, the twin 1911s barked as she pulled their triggers one after the other, the mammals jerking forward as the slugs tore through their skulls and sent blood, bone, and brain matter flying through the air. Blake grinned, then drew a knife and launched it towards her, Kate letting it sail right past her cheek. The Cheetah behind her gurgled as they fell to the ground.

Kate tossed one of her guns over to Blake, who caught it effortlessly. He made to turn, though paused when he saw Kate reach up and touch her cheek, looking at the paw pad when she pulled it away with a small hiss. She shook her head, then approached him, squatting down next to him.

"Don't even say it." She said, glancing at him.

"Sorry." Blake said, Kate sighing.

"What did I just say?" She asked in mock annoyance, peeking her head out and into view only to pull it back as a gun boomed. She ducked down and Blake followed her lead, feeling glad he did as bullets tore through the couch. He grimaced, but ignored his anger at the loss of the couch. They could get another.

Kate and Blake glanced at each other, then nodded. They flipped over onto their backs, scooting closer together and pressing their hindpaws against each others'. They gave nods to count down, then both pushed as hard as they could.

Blake slid out from behind the couch and locked a Liger into his sights immediately, sending a round into their head before they'd noticed him. He adjusted his aim and fired once more into the skull of a Bobcat.

Kate fired once, obliterating the skull of an unfortunate Meerkat, the bullet luckily not malformed enough to careen. It tore into the chest of a Lynx, Kate firing a second shot into their skull just to be sure. There was silence for a long moment before slow clapping filled the air, Kate and Blake both standing and pressing their backs together. Kate had ditched the duffel bag in the bathroom, so it wasn't a challenge.

"Well, well, well. And here I thought the only mammal capable of challenging me was Miss Keto! What a pleasant surprise to be wrong! And better yet, it's the infamous Butcher of Berlin and Commander Wu of the Operators! My _god_ it is good to see I have more than one oppnonent who stands a chance!" The two Wolves turned towards the back entrance, Blake lowering his gun in surprise.

"Ah, crap, it's Otso. The head of security." He muttered, shaking his head. A Red Panda stood before them, flanked by several other mammals with automatic weapons.

"Aw, come on, Butcher, that's no way to talk to your biggest fan, is it?" The Red Panda asked, raising his arms almost sadly.

"I'm not the Butcher of Berlin any longer. I'm an Assassins now, and when I complete my job, I'm leaving the Brotherhood." Blake said, the Red Panda's friendly demeanor dropping along with his arms.

"What a shame." He remarked, raising his paw to snap his digits together. Kate got the drop on him, however, and fired three times. The first round tore through his paw, effectively rendering it forever useless unless Blake's theory was correct. The second and third rounds impacted the skulls of two of the mammals flanking Otso. Blake rapidly fired and took down the others, leaving just him, Kate, and Otso.

Kate approached the Red Panda and threw a savage kick into his side, flipping the mammal over as a harsh gagging sound left him. Blake was certain he'd heard a rib crack as well. She drew her paw back, but stopped when Blake placed a paw on her shoulder.

"Go clear the back entrance. I'll be there in a minute." He said, the Timber Wolf nodding her head and approaching the back door. When she crossed the threshold Blake raised his pistol and fired, the round impacting the console next to the door. Kate turned her head in surprise, having just enough time to extend her paw.

"Blake-" the heavy metal door slammed shut, cutting her off. Blake turned and fired into the other door's control panel, effectively sealing him and Otso inside. Blake remained standing for all of five seconds before he dropped to a knee, letting out a gasping breath as blood fell to the ground. Otso's eyes widened before a grin split his muzzle.

"Ricochet. I'm guessing you didn't tell her because it wasn't from one of my own." The Red Panda remarked, Blake chuckling.

"Yeah. That's about right." He said, glancing towards the panel. He consulted his mental clock, then grimaced. "Alright, we don't got much time, so I'm gonna get this over with." He stood, raising his sidearm and firing into the floor tile that had shifted earlier. It shattered, revealing a hole. He turned, firing three shots into the Red Panda's chest, then waited as Otso collapsed. When nothing happened, he turned and approached the hole. He made to hop into it, only to be slammed into from behind.

Blake used his agility training to his advantage, placing a paw on the floor and applying pressure with his two leftmost digits for friction. He turned, coming down onto all fours and facing whoever had slammed into him.

Blake rolled to the left as a paw came at his head, raising himself up to his hindpaws and firing until the gun clicked empty. His eyes widened and a small gasp escaped him when he saw Otso standing there, grinning at him.

"Well, seems somebody finally caught on. Such a shame. Was hoping to surprise Miss Keto with it." He remarked, Blake's eyes narrowing.

"They've found a way to weave enough of the Shroud into your clothes. Figures." Blake said, scoffing in annoyance. He drew a pair of knives, consulting his mental clock. He didn't have a lot of time, and with his ricochet wound, he wouldn't be at peak.

"You know, normally it's the pupil that surpasses the master, not the fan that surpasses the legend. I can make do with this, however." Otso charged forward, swinging a paw at Blake's head. He ducked, swinging a knife up and slicing the paw off and earning a grunt of pain from the Red Panda.

 _'They've found a way to dull his pain receptors. That or he's just used to the pain.'_ Blake observed, narrowing his eyes in thought. He grinned as a thought occurred to him, then spun and leapt away, landing on his forepaws and pushing off, sliding into the bedroom.

"Oh? Is the famous Butcher of Berlin _hiding_?" Otso asked mockingly, waiting for a moment. Blake walked out about thirty seconds later, a pair of specially made combat boots on his hindpaws. Otso blinked in surprise at the addition, but didn't comment on it. He merely grinned and rushed forward, Blake ducking under a swing and stomping his heel before rotating and bringing it up.

With a tiny _click!_ a blade sprung from the heel of the boot, embedding into Otso's chest right where his heart was. Blake pushed his heel and the blade snapped free, remaining stuck in the Red Panda's chest. Blake spun again, jumping into the air and sending a harsh kick into Otso's head. The Red Panda's head snapped back, sending him to the ground. Blake raised his knife and made to bring it down into Otsos skull, then let out a strangled gasp when pain exploded in his stomach. He looked down to see one of his own knives embedded into his gut, raising his gaze to see Otso grinning. His eyes dimmed and his paw went slack, dropping to the ground as his head lowered.

Blake grimaced in pain, then brought his knife down and into the Red Panda's skull. He sheathed the other one, then raised himself up and let out a yelp, dropping back down to his knees and keeping himself up with a paw, the other going to his wounds. His lips drew back in an angered snarl, and he forced himself to a stand.

Blake hobbled to the hole, pausing when a beep reached his ears. He raised his gaze to the console on the wall, seeing the light blinking. His eyes widened in panic as the light turned red, leaping for the hole.

Kate consulted her mental clock, eyes widening in panic when she realized there was only three seconds left. She turned and made to run, though not fast enough.

The charges detonated, fire blooming into the sky as the building was turned to rubble. Screams split the air as pieces fell from the sky.

Kate slammed against the wall, head hitting it hard enough to send her world spinning, Kate slumping to the ground, eyes unfocused and ears numb. They weren't even ringing. She knew that was bad, but she couldn't really do anything about it. She was unsure of how long she lay there.

The nearly unconscious Timber Wolf was aware of a presence approaching from further down the alley, but blackess took over her before she could see who it was.

 **And that does it for Chapter 46 of Zootopian Assassins! I hope you guys enjoyed this installment, because I certainly did. Especially writing the segment between Otso and Blake. All I'll spoil now is that Blake and Otso do know each other, though they didn't recognize each other this Chapter. Chapter 48, the last Chapter that focuses on Blake and Kate, will explain a bit. Now keep in mind that the fact I say Blake** ** _and_** **Kate doesn't mean I spared him. Also no word on Otso's fate, even if it is incredibly difficult to justify him surviving this. And I know I said at the beginning that I wouldn't implement Pieces of Eden, and I technically didn't. Otso did** ** _not_** **use the Shroud. I'll write a Oneshot for him that explains some things, but I'll be sure to add some basic explanations if I do bring him back for the finale. If I don't, that means he's dead for sure. If I do, I'll explain stuff as vaguely as possible without being too vague. Blake did figure some stuff out enough to recognize some minor flaws in Otso's 'thing', though, which is why he left his blades inside him. Anyway, this is getting long enough, I will see you guys...next update. Word Count: 6,118**


	48. Outcome

**Hey guys Price here and welcome to Chapter 47 of Zootopian Assassins! This is Lumi and Is/Sven's Chapter, and it connects with the ending of last Chapter around midway through, perhaps a bit after that. As of now, as Is and Sven have begun to switch randomly after Sven and Lumi did their contract and are thus unpredictable in who they are, Lumi waits for them to speak first to pick up on the slight pitch difference between them. At the end of the Chapter it'll skip ahead a bit. Chapter 49, being Judy and Nick's Chapter,** ** _will_** **include the snippet I showed at the beginning. As soon as I finish up the Epilogue, along with the teaser for the sequel at the end, I'll rewrite Chapter 7 of Kinesis Chronicles and then finish that up. Then I'll finish up Tooth and Claw. I told the writer ShadowRaver47 I'd start rewriting my older stories, but I decided to finish up my current ones so I'm not pressured to get back to them. My list for rewriting my older stories starts with my first Project Freelancer story, since it's the shortest, and then my RWBY story, and then finally my Jurassic World story. Well, and also my second Project Freelancer story, but I've decided to put all my Project Freelancer stories into one Mega Story. The reasoning for this is because I've created a new name for the first story but want to keep the name California Chronicles as well since the name entails it follows Agent California, though as we know the original California died at the end of the first story and I feel it would just make more sense. Let me know what you think. I appreciate my readers telling me ideas, though this late into the game I won't be using any that I get for this story itself. Anyway, that's enough of that, I think it's time to get...onto the story!**

An Arctic Fox Vixen leaned against a wall, an all white uniform with the faintest tint of pink staining the entire thing decorating all but her head, her fur waving in the light breeze.. Her eyes stared ahead intensely, the hardness of her gaze something reserved for the lowest of the low in her eyes. Usually, this gaze would be kept away from the Hare before her, and she'd intended it to remain that way forever, but right now he was really pushing her patience. Her head lowered slightly, gaze hardening even further as her pupils widened ever so slightly as the action removed some of the light reaching them. Her upper lip twitched slightly, showing the faintest hint of teeth to the male European Hare in front of her.

The European Hare leaned against a wall of his own, his expression not quite as hard as the Vixen's but still quite harsh. An all brown outfit with adorned his body, keeping it mostly covered save for his head, similar to the Vixen's outfit. His brown fur ruffled as he slowly raised his arm towards his head, reaching behind him and gripping the hood behind his head, pulling it up and on top of his head, the Vixen doing the same. Their ears stuck through holes in the hood, though he let his hang. He raised his head slightly, leaning it against the wall and exposing his throat, the Vixen's eyes widening ever so slightly at the display.

Both mammals knew that if the Vixen desired she could easily overpower him and tear out his throat, but they also knew that, no matter how much they argued, she would never do such a thing even when she Reverted to a much more primal state. They were Mates, after all.

Both of them pushed off from the walls they leaned against and approached the other, stopping at arms' length. The Hare was the first to raise his paw, leaving the palm exposed and digits extended. The Vixen appeared startled by the action, but her expression quickly softened in love as she brought her own paw up. She gripped his paw, her grip no tighter than a light squeeze. Her lip twitched in the beginning of a grin, the Hare letting out a small gasp as the Vixen heaved suddenly, pulling him up and into a hug that surprised him. She dropped to her knees, letting out a quiet noise similar to a sob. The Hare was silent for a long moment in confusion until it hit him that his and the Vixen's arguments had put more onto her than he'd realized. She'd seemed so fine before, never once showing that their arguments bothered her. Now here she was, quietly crying into his shoulder in relief. He smiled, bringing his paws up and wrapping them around her neck.

"You know I love you, Lumi." The Hare said quietly, the Vixen letting out a half chuckle, half sob at the words.

"Yeah, I know. Love you too. Both of you." She said, taking a deep breath to calm herself. She released the Hare, though neither really moved. She glanced around as the Hare's ears twitched, both searching for any signs of other mammals around. She turned back to the Hare, a grin on her muzzle. "Y'know, I don't think any of the others would like us getting busy in the Brotherhood's main hideout."

"Do you care?" The Hare asked, arching an eyebrow.

"Of course not." Lumi answered, the Hare chuckling. "Just don't change midway through again, Sven."

"You're never going to forget that, are you?" Sven asked, Lumi rolling her eyes.

"Sure I will. One day that isn't today." She answered, smirking at Sven's irritated huff. "But in all seriousness, Sven, I'm glad. At first, I thought this would be a short thing without many consequences, but with how long it's lasted, I just...I dunno, I kinda feared where it might be going. And I knew I wouldn't be able to live after that. Both of you mean way too much to me for me to live afterwards if that happened." She said, Sven blinking in surprise at her before his expression softened.

"If I'm being honest, Lumi, I forgave you long ago. I'm just a stubborn fool and didn't want to admit it." Sven said, Lumi letting out a small grunt to indicate she was indifferent to the revelation. She stared at the Hare for a long moment before her head moved forward, their muzzles pressing together softly. They hadn't really been intimate since their Contract, and it had been eating away at Lumi for the entire duration. She had grown too used to the Hare being ready any time she wanted, and it had been a startling discovery when he'd started refusing. The only way she could stave herself was on her expeditions away from Tundra Town.

Sven increased the pressure from his end slightly, Lumi doing the same before parting her jaws slightly with Sven copying her. After a moment they parted.

"It's been way too long." Lumi murmered, Sven grunting agreement as they reached up and pushed each others' hoods down, lowering their paws to each others' outfits as their muzzles pressed back together with a bit more force. Lumi groaned against her mate, pausing her paws' movements to grip his uniform. The Hare paused as well,waiting for her to resume before resuming himself.

Sven's paws were more nimble than Lumi's, and so he had her uniform read to be pulled off first. Lumi was close behind, however, and they pulled their paws away to take off their uniforms' tops. Lumi surprised Sven when they came back together by placing her paws on his back and pulling him with her as she leaned back. It wasn't often Lumi was willing to let the Hare be on top, whether he was Sven or Is.

"When's the last time this happened?" Sven asked quietly, Lumi chuckling.

"The sex or you being on top?" She asked, Sven rolling his eyes. "Well, that would have to be a month before our Contract to the day." Sven hummed in surprise, feeling like it had been longer.

"Well, it's a nice change of pace, so I appreciate it." He remarked, Lumi snorting.

"Sven, the reason I rarely let you or Is dom is because it rarely lasts very long the first time. You both have pacing issues." She said, the Hare chuckling. "Though I do like the fact that Lapines can keep going after the first time." She added, Sven arching an eyebrow.

"You would like that." He remarked, Lumi snorting.

"Yeah yeah, whatever." She said, reaching up and pulling him down, pressing her muzzle to his as he deftly worked the lower part of her outfit off. Lumi shivered slightly at the blast of cold air that always seemed to appear when her mate unclothed her. She wasn't quite sure why it always happened.

Sven had his own outfit completely off quickly, staring down at her with nothing but absolute love in his eyes. He smiled softly at her, Lumi smiling back. They both let out quiet gasps as he shifted forward.

Lumi awoke slowly, feeling like her lower bosy had been hit by a pnuematic drill. She wasn't one to complain, however, since she often drove her mate to that pace. Just one of the perks to having a Lapine as her mate.

A groan next to her told her that her mate was waking up as well, though whether it was her moving that causes it or just him waking up on his own she wasn't sure. The Hare lifted himself up, yawning and shaking his head.

"Ugh, Lumi?" He said, looking at her. She blinked, then chuckled.

"Welcome back, Is. Been a minute." Lumi said, the Hare looking down upon noticing her nakedness.

"So I take it things have gone well while I was away. Peace talks seem not to have broken down." Is remarked, the Vixen scoffing.

"I can be peaceful when I want to be." She said with mock hurt in her tone, as if the idea she couldn't be calm and collected was an insult. Is chuckled.

"Right." He said, standing up and stretching with a groan. Lumi hesitated a moment, then did the same. They got dressed quickly, feeling immense relief that nobody had walked in on them while they were sleeping or anything. They ignored their ruffled fur since they didn't have anything to smooth it down in a timely manner. They stepped through a door, both pausing and slowly turning their heads. Is turned his head to the right and Lumi to the left, both staring at what they found.

To the left of the door stood Daedalus, and to the right stood Perseus. They were both smirking, and Daedalus pushed off the wall.

"Well color me capped, I reckon Ah wor fair starved waiting on you two to get done in there. What do you reckon, Percy?" The Coywolf asked, the Lynx chuckling.

"Well, I reckon they should probably put wood i'th'oil." He answered, Lumi grunting in annoyance as their voices took on their natural Yorkshire accents.

"Allus at t' last push up with these two." Daedalus remarked, shaking his head. Lumi raised her paw to point to him.

"You are lucky I consider you a friend, otherwise I would follow through on my threat." She said, Daedalus chuckling.

"Well, if you two shall excuse us, we got us some courtin' to do, maybe change our livin' tally lives." Perseus suddenly said, Daedalus locking up in surprise. His face flushed slowly, eyes wide as he stared at Percy.

"...I don't get it." Lumi remarked, scratching her head in confusion. Is smirked and elbowed her lightly, Lumi leaning down towards him.

"In other words, they're banging." Lumi blinked, standing up straight with shock in her expression. She looked between Daedalus and Perseus, her mouth parting slightly. After a moment, she found her voice.

"Um, David, can I ask you something?" She asked, the Coywolf sighing.

"Go ahead." He muttered, Lumi glancing at Is with a grin.

"So...is it true that Felines have barbs?" She asked, Daedalus blushing further at the question. He cleared his throat, though the subtle twitch of his tail gave away the answer. "They hurt?"

"...A bit." Daedalus answered after a moment, Perseus arching an eyebrow.

"Oi, you think a little scratch hurts? You're lucky I'm not a fellow Canid! The knots on you guys hurts like 'eck!" The Lynx said, jabbing a digit at the Coywolf lightly and non-threateningly. It was Is' turn to grin.

"Oh? You switch up?" The Hare asked, chuckling as Perseus flushed. "That's adorable, wouldn't you say Lumi?" He aske,d turning to his mate.

"I'm gonna have to agree, Is. It is a rather nice thought that they take turns." Lumi said, Daedalus and Perseus more blush than clear space at this point. Lumi and Is laughed, both finding amusement in how easily the two other members of Beta Team were embarrassed.

"Come on guys, there's nothing to be ashamed of. You really think we're that bothered by something like this? If you think that, then you haven't been paying attention when we talk." Is remarked, chuckling in amusement. Lumi shook her head, then glanced at Is.

"In all seriousness, though, there's nothing to be embarrassed by. Trust me, the more embarrassed you are, the more others will tease you. Me and Is were pretty embarrassed at first, to be honest, and our neighbors wouldn't stop teasing us for suddenly being awkward when we'd been living together for...what, fifteen, sixteen years?" Is nodded in agreement. "Yeah. So basically, there's nothing to be embarrassed by just because you suddenly find yourself in a relationship with your best friend." Daedalus cleared his throat, then glanced at Perseus.

"Most of our embarrassment comes from the fact that, up until a year or so ago, I was married." The Coywolf said, Lumi and Is both blinking.

"Oh." Lumi said quietly, lowering her head in thought. "I'm...sorry to hear that."

"I wouldn't worry about it. To be honest, it's more my fault. My brother remained unresponsive to Night Howler treatments, so they were forced to euthanize him. I went to Percy for comfort and more or less ignored my wife. I think she knew, somehow, that I was subconsciously attracted to him. I have nobody to blame but myself for our breakup." Lumi's gaze lowered sadly, glancing at Is, knowing just how close her arguments with Sven had pushed them towards separation.

"Oh! Crap, David, I almost forgot, they don't know!" Percy suddenly exclaimed, Daedalus blinking in apparent confusion. His eyes widened.

"Oh, crap, that's right! Lumi, Is, Jacob's hideout was attacked and destroyed!" The Coywolf said, Lumi and Is remaining silent for a moment in surprise.

" _Why didn't you lead with that!?"_ They both shouted, David and Percy flinching.

"We were going too, but we were waiting so long we got distracted and forgot!" Percy defended, crossing his arms.

"Ugh, fine. Let's go." Lumi ordered, stepping past them.

"You want us to come too?" David asked, tilting his head.

"Of course. You know where it is, after all." Is answered, walking past them and following Lumi. Percy and David glanced at each other, then shrugged and followed them.

Lumi landed on the ground and rolled, drawing a sidearm as she came up. She held up a paw towards the three mammals abover her. She looked up, signalling Is to remain where he was, Perseus to go along the top right side, and David to go along the top left side. They all nodded and the Coywolf and Lynx took off, Lumi crouch-running down the alley with sidearm drawn. She paused when she saw somebody laying on the ground near the exit, holstering her sidearm and approaching slowly. The building on Lumi's left was nothing but rubble, which told her it had been Jacob's hideout. She crouched to avoid being seen by any mammals out front as she approached the mammal, the rise and fall of their chest telling Lumi they were unconscious. A green greatcoat hid most of the mammal, though Lumi quickly realized they were a Wolf. She was uncertain of their sex, though she would be sure to find out.

Lumi reached out and felt the Wolf's pulse, nodding at the strong but erratic beat. It likely just meant they were still rattled by the explosion. Lumi paused as a certain familiar scent reached her nose, feeling alarm course through her as her eyes widened. She felt her lip twitch in the beginning of a snarl, but held it down as she lifted the Wolf up by the greatcoat, hoisting them over her shoulders and turning back down the alley.

The explosion didn't hide the scent of the Red Panda she'd fought on multiple occasions, though it did muddle it slightly.

Lumi secured her grip on the unconscious Wolf, then raised her paw and fired her Rope Launcher, Is helping her up easily. It was easy for her to forget the Hare was probably stronger than her if he wanted to be, and the fact he lifted her up like he had only reinforced that.

Lumi set the Wolf down on the roof, hearing Daedalus and Perseus come up behind her.

"That's Kate Wu, the former Commander of the Operators." Lumi turned her head in surprise at the words, staring at Percy with wide eyes. "Where's Jacob?" Lumi glanced towards the rubble at the end of the alley.

"I dunno. He wasn't there. He might have escaped, but until we get word from him we assume the worst." She said, standing and pulling Commander Wu up and onto her shoulders once more. "We need to get her somehwere. Either the main safehouse, or somewhere else that's just as secure."

"We could take her to our apartment. The only issue would be getting her there without drawing attention to ourselves." Is remarked, Lumi grunting in thought. There was silence for a bit.

"I guess the only choice is to take her to the warehouse. Then we just need to know who's gonna watch her." Lumi said after a moment, Is glancing at Daedalus and Perseus.

"We'll take shifts. Somebody will watch her for a certain amount of time, then somebody else will watch her for another period of time, and so on and so on." The Hare said, the other three exchanging nods. "Lumi, you got first shift."

"...Why?" Lumi asked after a moment, Is arching an eyebrow.

"Because I trust you to be able to restrain her if she tries to fight in the heat of the moment when she wakes up." He replied, Lumi blinking. "I'll come back and do what I can to help when I get done making sure Aukusta is asleep, things like that."

"Oh, alright then. I'll see you later, then. Don't forget to let Sven know, somehow. Note or something." She said, Is dipping his head. Lumi hefted Commander Wu up onto her shoulders, then turned and began to jog in the direction of the warehouse.

Lumi shut the door behind her and moved towards one of the side rooms inside the warehouse, feeling some concern that Commander Wu hadn't woken up or at least stirred during the entire journey. She layed the Wolf down on one of the small couches off to the side. She turned away, only to pause at the sound of a familiar click. It was the sound of a gun safety being disengaged. She turned, surprised to see Commander Wu pointing her own Walther at her.

"Where am I?" The Wolf asked, Lumi holding up her paws in a placating gesture.

"Calm down, Commander Wu. It's me, Lumi Keto. You're safe in one of the Brotherhood's safehouses." Lumi said, taking a step forward slowly, Commander Wu tightening her grip on the Walther pointedly.

"None of your safehouses are safe, Miss Keto. They're _all_ compromised." She said, Lumi nodding her head absentmindedly as she worked out the best way to disarm the Wolf in the safest way possible for both of them. It was difficult, since the only disarms she'd learned involved some kind of incapacitation move like breaking a limb.

"I promise you, Commander Wu, you're in no danger here. As far as I'm aware, the only mammals that know of this safehouse's existance are the ones who've been here." Lumi said, taking another step forward. "Just give me my gun, please. Don't make this difficult." The two Predators stared each other down for a long moment before the Wolf sighed and loosened her grip, letting the gun swing to where the barrel faced the ground. Lumi took it with a nod, holstering it.

"Where's Blake?" Commander Wu asked, Lumi tilting her head in confusion.

"My apologies, Commander Wu, but I do not know anybody named Blake." Lumi said, the Wolf frowning before realization sparked in her eyes.

"Ah, right, sorry. Where is Jacob?" She asked, Lumi letting out a hum of indecision.

"I...am not sure. He was not there with you when I found you, but that does not mean he is dead." She finally said, Commander Wu sighing.

"Alright. Thank you for being honest. And please, call me Kate." She said, sitting up with a groan. She rubbed her ears. "Glad to see my hearing's back, at least. Was worried it wouldn't, since they weren't even ringing before I passed out."

"This is the second time in a single year. I'm amazed how lucky you've gotten with things exploding near you." Lumi remarked, reaching up and loweing her hood, shaking her head. She smoothed down the fur between her ears. "But, all that aside, what happened? I smelled somebody I recognized from before at the site, but I didn't see him." Kate hesitated, then nodded.

"We were attacked by a group of Templars in the middle of our scrubbing. A Red Panda was leading them. We managed to injure him, but Jacob locked himself in with him after telling me to clear the alley." The Wolf said, Lumi remaining silent for a long moment. She eventually nodded to herself.

"Is it possible that Jacob was in cahoots with the Red Panda in some form?" She asked, Kate's fur bristling as a growl rose from her throat.

"No, it is _not_ possible, Lumi. Absolutely not possible." She snarled, Lumi's ears pinning back in surprise at the anger in the female Wolf's voice.

"It's a legitimate question, Kate. I can't think of why else he would lock himself inside with that mammal." The Vixen said, clearly not understanding why Kate was so adamant about her being wrong. Lumi let out a gasp as Kate lurched up, grabbing her by the front of her uniform and pinning her against the wall with a snarl. Her arm drew back, moving to bring it forward and towards Lumi's panicked face. It jerked to a stop inches from the Vixen, Kate turning her head with another snarl, Lumi turning her head slightly as well.

Is stood a few feet away, one of his thicker and longer garrotes in his paw. The other end was wrapped around Kate's arm, which is what had stopped it. His eyes smoldered in anger.

"Release my mate, _now_." He ordered, Kate attempting to tug her arm free. Is grunted in annoyance, then spun, raising his leg and bringing his foot down on the garrote, forcing it to the floor and yanking on Kate's arm. She yelped as she was tugged off her feet and to the floor, Lumi dropping to the ground and pulling the wrinkles out from where Kate had grabbed her. She hummed to herself when she was pleased.

Kate made to stand, only to be forced to the ground again when Is placed his hindpaw on her side and shoved, flipping her onto her back and pinning her. His expression was hard, and it was obvious he was not happy with her.

"Let her up, Is. She's not a threat." Lumi said, the Hare glancing at her hesitantly, then removing his hindpaw and stepping back. He tugged the garrote free, then put it away. Kate stood, then glared at Lumi. "Let me guess on why you're so defensive about Jacob. I'm guessing...two, maybe three months since you became mates?" Is blinked in surprise, but remained silent as Kate's expression softened sadly.

"Yeah. That's about right." She answered, Lumi grunting.

"Well, don't let your feelings dictate your actions. I had to ask that question, and it's a perfectly reasonable question if you think about it logically." The Vixen said, Is scoffing.

"Should you really be telling somebody not to let their feelings dictate their actions, Lumi?" He asked with a chuckle, Lumi rolling her eyes. Kate tilted her head. "You ever hear about that massacre in Bunny Burrow a few years back? Yeah, all Lumi." The Wolf appeared startled by the information, apparently not thinking the Vixen capable of doing such a thing.

From her memory, Kate remembered the fact that the building's destruction, combined with the horrible dismantling of the bodies, had been a nightmare for all the mammals involved in investigating it.

"Well, you were the one that got yourself captured. I'd have figured somebody like you would be used to sensing traps and the like, considering the occupation you technically held before coming here." Lumi said, Is flinching as if struck at the words. Kate frowned, which Is noticed.

"Well, since Lumi already brought it up, I might as well tell you. I have a form of Multiple Personality Disorder, of which I am a fragment from the mammal known as Sven Larsson." The Hare said, Kate sucking in a shocked breath at the words. Lumi appeared surprised as well.

"I honestly thought Sven was the fragment." The Vixen remarked, Is chuckling.

"No, sorry. Expect to see him a few more times before the year is out." He said, Lumi glancing at Kate as a grin split her muzzle.

"Oh, don't worry, I would not mind seeing him again." The Vixen said, Is arching an eyebrow. "What? I like his personality." She defended, Is snorting to show he didn't believe her.

"Right, I'm sure that's _all_ you like about him." Is accused, Lumi scoffing in mock hurt.

"Are you suggesting that I, Lumi Keto, would actually prefer one personality over the other because of different factors not related to that personality's...well, personality?" Lumi asked, Is chuckling.

"I am, yes." He answered, smirking, while Kate merely watched the two in amusement.

"Guilty as charged." Lumi said, Is rolling his eyes. "However, you both have your perks, so I refuse to pick a favorite."

"Well that's good. Jealousy is unbecoming of both me and Sven. Him especially. Gets so cranky." Is remarked, Kate letting out a small sound that indicated she wanted their attention. They both turned, surprise and curiosity in their expressions. "Ah, right, forgot about you."

"Clearly." Kate remarked dryly, huffing quietly. "Alright, listen up, because there's something you guys need-"

"Sorry to interrupt, Kate, but I have one last question for my mate. While I appreciate the fact you were here in time to interrupt us, I thought you said you wouldn't be here for several hours?  
Lumi interrupted, looking at Is. Kate growled quietly in annoyance, but allowed the interruption.

"Oh, right. Percy and David let me come on over to their house and change to cut down on the time. I will be going home soon, though, to check on Aukusta." Is answered, chuckling quietly. Kate tilted her head, confused about who he meant.

"Aukusta is our daughter." Lumi said, having noticed her confusion. Kate frowned in thought.

"Adopted?" She asked, Lumi snorting.

"No, biological." The Vixen answered, Kate blinking in surprise. "Yeah, I know, right? The chances of something like that happening are astronomically low. We got lucky, honestly, especially since she was conceived our first time, something like six or so months before she was born." Kate blinked again.

"Six months? That's not natural." The Wolf remarked, Lumi chuckling.

"Yeah, I know. According to a doctor Is apparently asked, the time was because of the complexity of her whole genetic thing. Something like that, anyway. I dunno, never did well with biology." She said, shrugging. "The class ain't that complex, but I somehow still did poorly."

"I imagine the classes are slightly different in Finland than here in Animalia. Harder or easier?" Kate asked, Lumi pausing to think about her answer.

"I honestly couldn't answer that. Never been in a school here, so I only know about where I was taught. We went over a bit, though, especially in highschool. I hated most of the teachers at the time." The Vixen finally said, Kate nodding her head.

"Pretty sure most mammals hate their teachers when they're younger. It's when you get older that you realize they have your best interests at heart." She remarked, Lumi chuckling.

"If I'm being honest, I always really knew they only wanted to help me, but it didn't stop me from hating some of them." The Vixen said, Is huffing.

"One of mine was one of Sven's contracts. Turns out she got into the black market when she stopped teaching, and Sven was hired by a competitor." There was awkward silence for a long moment, both Lumi and Kate having no idea how to react to the words.

"...Is it weird I'm more curious about how and why a former teacher got into the black market than the fact Sven was hired to take her out?" Lumi asked after a moment.

"A bit, yeah." Kate answered, Lumi frowning. Is chuckled.

"Well, I should probably be going. Just wanted to come make sure you two were okay." The Hare said after a moment, Lumi glancing at Kate.

"I know I said I would watch her, but I just remembered I have to help the boss out with something. Kate, will you be okay here by yourself?" She asked, Kate blinking at the question.

"I should be okay, yeah. I wouldn't really worry too much." She answered, Is sighing.

"I'd rather somebody stay here with her, but I can't change the fact you have to go help Jeremy, or the fact I have to check on Aukusta." The Hare remarked, shaking his head. "I'll see if Percy or David can watch her." Is fished his phone from his pocket, tapping a few icons. After a moment the phone began to ring, Is putting it on speaker for conveniance.

" _H-hello?"_ The shaky voice of David asked, Is frowning.

"Hey, David, it's Is. Turns out Lumi has to help our boss with something at work, and I have to go check on our daughter. Can you or Percy come watch Kate?" Is asked, a muffled groan coming from the phone.

" _Y-yeah, s-s-sure, just give us a few-ah, Percy!"_ Is, Lumi, and Kate all flushed in embarrassment when they realized what was going on with David and Percy. _"Oh...oh god. Mmm, love you, Perce."_ Is cleared his throat awkwardly.

"Um, David?" The Hare said hesitantly, a pregnant silence following.

" _Oh god, Is, I'm sorry. You probably didn't want to hear that."_ David said, Is making a small noise to indicate he didn't really care.

"Did I want to hear you calling Percy's name in the middle of sex? Not particularly, no. However, let's pretend that didn't happen. Can one of you watch Commander Wu until me or Lumi can return?" Is asked, a pause following.

" _Under normal circumstances, I'd say yes. However, unfortunately, Percy has nodded off and he gets a bit panicky when he wakes up to find me gone. So in a bit, I may, but not right now."_ Is sighed at the answer, but didn't complain.

"It's better than never. I'll let you get back to whatever. Apologies for the inconveniant timing." The Hare said.

" _Eh, Percy doesn't really care if one of us answers the phone during these kinds of things."_ David said, Is chuckling.

"Alright, well, I gotta go. Talk to you again later."

" _Later."_

Is disconnected the call and put his phone away, shaking his head.

"Well, that was...interesting." Kate remarked after a moment, Is shrugging. He tapped Lumi lightly on the arm, the Vixen glancing at him. He gestured towards the door, and she let out a noise to indicate recollection.

"We'll be seeing you, Kate. Take care." Is said, waving in farewell as he and Lumi walked towards the door. Kate waved as well, then turned and sat down on the couch. She turned, laying down and closing her eyes, wanting to get in a bit more sleep.

It didn't even occur to her that she'd forgotten to tell Lumi or Is what she'd tried to tell them earlier.

 **And that does it for Chapter 47 of Zootopian Assassins! I hope you guys enjoyed this, because I certainly did. I admit, the small scene with the phonecall between Is and David served no point besides comedy, but I felt like it fit, somehow. I can't believe how close we are to the end, now. It honestly blows my mind that this story is moving to a close. Like, it's amazing. If I could, I'd make this story longer, but I can't because the plot is more or less wrapped up already. If I've missed anything, don't hesitate to tell me. I want to wrap up most, if not all, plots in this story. I think I have, but I'm not sure and I don't really want to read through the story because the early Chapters make me cringe. Anyway, this is getting long enough, I will see you guys...next update. Word Count: 5,743**


	49. Alive

**Hey guys Price here and welcome to Chapter 48 of Zootopian Assassins! I hope you guys have been looking forward to this because I know I certainly have! Now, you likely didn't notice, but I took a small break from writing for this story simply because I felt like I needed to cool off from it. Especialy with how last Chapter was just written. I might rewrite it, so you might or might not see what I'm talking about, but it is, at the time of writing this, absolutely not up to par whatsoever with how I normally write. Also, a quick notice, but I will be writing an Original Fiction story, the goal of which is to make it worse than the infamous Zootopia fic Unbreakable. Not in terms of bad writing, but just overall more emotionally (and hopefully mentally as well) scarring than that fic ever could be. I don't have a whole lot of ideas, so don't expect to see it any time soon. It will be on AO3, and possibly Fictionpress since it allows original work. Dunno yet, not sure on the rules of Fictionpress. Another cause of my delay in writing for this story again is, as I mentioned in Chapter 8 of Wonder Bunny: Lance's Story, the wonderful people I have been talking to on Discord. I won't rehash what I said there, don't worry, but I did want to provide another reason for my time away from writing this story. Again, you likely didn't notice, but it happened. Also, I have plans for a sequel set further into the future, though I won't say who it follows because that's spoilers. They are all gonna be in this story, though, so look forward to that. Anyway, that's enough of that, I think it's time to get...onto the story!**

Kate sat on a small piece of furniture, her legs tucked against her chest and arms wrapped around her legs to keep them there. Her expression was blank and she stared into space; overall she felt numb. She had known that Blake's last known location was the safehouse they'd occupied for a while, as well as the fact he hadn't been found amongst the rubble. What disturbed her most was the fact that, despite only being missing right now, he hadn't shown himself whatsoever to anybody.

What if he'd escaped the explosion somehow but had died of wounds somewhere else, alone? The thought sent shivers down Kate's spine and fresh tears welling in her eyes, and she struggled to keep them down. It wouldn't do her any good to cry over something she couldn't change. Besides, knowing Blake, he wouldn't want her to cry over him. He'd want her to move on, maybe fight harder so his death wasn't in vain.

Who was she kidding. She didn't know what he'd want her to do, she barely even knew enough about him to call him a friend, let alone say she loved him. And yet, she did. He'd opened himself up to her in a way that showed just how uncomfortable he was to do so, yet he did it anyway. Perhaps they weren't the best example of a functional relationship; afterall, she was a former Operator and he was a well known serial killer turned member of the Assassin Brotherhood. Or was he an Assassin who was framed as a serial killer? He _had_ told the Red Panda that he was an Assassin "now," so she figured that the former option was the most likely.

Whatever he was, all she knew was that his personality was a _huge_ contradiction to his history. Who knew the infamous Butcher of Berlin was a kindhearted soul who could comfort somebody about their past just as soon as kill them? Certainly not her. It did make her wonder, though, about why the Assassin Brotherhood had recruited him instead of simply killing him, but she could always ask him about it, assuming he returned.

Kate was broken from her thoughts at the sound of a door opening, her head jerking up and ears swiveling. She stood and poked her head out of the room she was in, nearly smacking into a mammal she almost thought was Blake. She realized quickly that it wasn't however, and she barely managed to keep herself from frowning in disappointment.

"Oh, hello there. Sorry about that." The mammal said, taking a step back. Kate quickly realized the mammal was a male Coywolf, and she tilted her head at his garb. He looked down, then chuckled. "Yeah, the outfit isn't exactly very subtle." He remarked, shaking his head in amusement.

"Who're you?" Kate asked, the Coywolf blinking in surprise at the blunt question. He chuckled again.

"Ah, right, I'm David. Callsign is Daedalus." The Coywolf, David, answered. Kate frowned.

"Like the father of Icarus from Greek mythology?" She asked, David nodding.

"Yep. Surprisingly, you're the first mammal to ask that." They both chuckled at that, and David held out a small device. "This is...um...all we were able to obtain." He said somberly, Kate taking it in curiosity.

"A computer drive?" The female Wolf said in confusion, tilting her head before an idea hit her. "Quick, do you have something I can put this in!?" She asked, David jumping at the sudden volume increase.

"Uh, not on me, no. I mean, there's the system computer stored here, but that's for-" the Coywolf cut himself off as Kate brushed past. "Okay, nevermind then."

Kate walked out of the room quickly, ignoring whatever David had been saying as she promptly began searching for the computer he'd mentioned. After a moment, David started to follow her. When he found her, she'd already opened up the tower in a way that signified she knew what she was doing, and she was also muttering to herself.

"Alright, this goes here...that goes to _there_ , and...ah, here you is." David snorted at her wording, startling her and nearly making her drop the drive. She turned.

"Don't do that!" She snapped, David backing away at the anger in her voice. "These are very important and _very_ delicate!"

"Okay, okay, sorry! I won't do it again!" David said, his eyes wide, and Kate took a deep breath that she slowly let out.

"Okay, good." She said quietly, now much more calm. "I'm sorry for snapping. Just...this could be the proof we need to finally end this fight once and for all." David arched an eyebrow.

"You know, I somehow doubt that." He remarked, Kate's expression dropping, and she let out a sigh.

"You're right. At least for a while, then. Just long enough to build up our forces so we're prepared instead of caught off guard." The Wolf said, removing a similar piece of equipment from the tower and placing the drive David had given her in its place.

"You say that like you're an Assassin." The Coywolf remarked, Kate turning her head towards him in surprise. She frowned.

"Well, I'm sorry, then. Excuse me for acting like I'm in the same boat as you." She said, anger lacing her words, as she turned away and began to reassemble the tower. David was silent, though more from surprise than anything else. "You know, it's not like I have just as much to lose as you do or anything. I've lost everything because of you as it is, so give me a reason why I shouldn't just sell you out." David blinked in surprise, the words shocking him.

"I'm...sorry?" He said, not quite sure if he'd heard Kate right. The Wolf turned completely to face him, standing and crossing her arms.

"Because of your little war, one of my Operators – no, one of my _friends_ , got involved and was killed because of it. Then, even better, the Operators as a whole get attacked and wiped out save for myself! And as far as I can tell, it was your leader who did it! So tell me, _Daedalus_ , why I shouldn't just find a Templar and tell them about this final hideout!" The Coywolf was silent as he tried to process what he was hearing, unsure if she was being serious or bluffing because she was upset. Before he had a chance to answer, however, a new voice spoke up.

"Because then what would you have to look forward to when we kill the bastards?" Kate froze at the voice, David looking up to see a Wolf in a green Greatcoat looking down at them upside down. He tilted his head, and the Wolf suddenly dropped. He flipped as he came down, a wire whipping through the air and barely passing over David's head. The Wolf landed, crouching to absorb the impact, and his right arm jerked slightly as something impacted it.

David turned his head as something moved in his peripheral vision, watching Kate run up to the Wolf and nearly tackle him to the ground in a hug.

Kate's expression slowly morphed into a smile as she processed the voice, and she followed David's gaze to see a familiar Wolf looking at them. She wached as he dropped, flipped, and landed, and she immediately ran up to him and nearly knocked them both to the ground as she wrapped her arms around him, feeling him hug back after a second of surprise.

Kate pulled her head back and met Blake's gaze, both their expressions softening as they did so. She leaned forward and softly pressed her muzzle to his, groaning at the contact she'd gone so long without. Her grip on the Greatcat tightened as the kiss deepened, Blake groaning this time.

The pair of Wolves slowly split apart, Kate smiling as she stared at Blake.

"That was for coming back." She remarked, the melanistic Wolf letting out a small noise as a small smirk formed. He was not expecting the punch she threw, sending him to the ground with a yelp of surprise and pain. "And that's for taking so long to do so!"

"Wait what's happening?" David asked, clearly confused by what was going on and why things were happening the way they were. Kate turned as Blake stood, shaking his head as he did so.

"David, this is Blake. He's the one who rescued me when Operator headquarters was attacked. You may know him as Jacob." The Coywolf was silent for a long moment before recognition splashed across his face.

"Wait, and you're...in a relationship? Or something?" He asked, Kate chuckling at the question.

"You could say that." Blake answered, coming to stand beside Kate and draping an arm over her shoulder. She easily remained still despite the fact he was clearly leaning against her, the female Timber Wolf glancing towards him in minor annoyance before a small grin touched her muzzle. She suddenly stepped back, Blake's eyes widening in surprise as he stumbled. Kate's hind paw flashed out and tripped him, the melanistic Grey Wolf tumbling to the ground. He groaned. "My first day back and you treat me like this. I don't know why I even put up with you." He chuckled, a clear indication he meant it playfully, and Kate smirked faintly.

"Well, who knows. Probably because you love me." Kate remarked, Blake smiling as he stood. They're eyes met for a moment, smiles on their muzzles, before somebody cleared their throat. They turned to see David looking at them, then glancing at the electronic Kate had been busy with. "Oh, right! Blake, if you'll excuse me." The Timber Wolf didn't give him a chance to respond before she turned. Blake did manage to grab a chair that rested next to him and slide it over, Kate falling into it like she'd known he would do it. "Now, let's see just what secrets you hold..." As she went to work, Blake shuffled up next to David.

"So, how've things been?" He asked the Coywolf, David glancing at him.

"Good. Kate's been a bit iffy since we brought her here, but other than that she's been really good." He answered, Blake nodding his head absentmindedly. "Me and Percy got together." Blake actually turned his head, clearly surprised by the information, and David chuckled.

"Really? I know it's clichéd to say, but I wouldn't have expected you two to hook up." Blake remarked, David shrugging.

"Right, and you hooking up with Kate was expected?" The Coywolf asked, Blake opening his muzzle to retort. Kate put an end to that quickly.

"Can you two like, I don't know, shut it? I'm trying to work." The Timber Wolf snapped, Blake closing his muzzle immediately. "Thank you." She looked at David, who held up his paws. She turned back to the computer, the ensuing silence broken only by her typing. After a moment, she groaned in annoyance and let her head bang onto the desk.

"What happened?" Blake asked, Kate sighing.

"It's wiped. Somebody was able to access this before us and wiped it clean. We have nothing on the bastard anymore." The Timber Wolf stood, turning and walking away. Blake glanced at David.

"Go on. Lumi will be here in a few hours to check up on you guys." Blake nodded thankfully, then turned and walked after Kate. It wasn't hard to find her, since she had clearly not been clean for at least several days. If it was simple neglect or forgetfulness he wasn't sure, but the difference from what he had become accustomed to prior to the attack on their safehouse was startling.

Blake stepped into a room, finding Kate skulking on a rather comfy looking couch-like piece of furniture.

"Hey, Kate, you okay?" The Timber Wolf looked up, then lowered her head again. She was silent, and Blake frowned. He walked over and sat down next to her, surprised when she didn't hesitate to lean against him.

"Everything's gone. All our evidence, my Operators, Home, and almost you. Makes me wonder why I even care how this ends anymore." Blake blinked in surpise at the words, not expecting something like that from her. It'd been a while since he'd heard her sound so defeated. He smiled as a thought struck him.

"Well, perhaps not _everything_ is gone." He said, standing up and making Kate tilt her head. "C'mon, I got a surprise for you. You'll love it." The female Wolf blinked in confusion, then stood and followed him as he walked from the room and towards the entrance. "So while I was away, I did some digging, right? So while I was digging, I found a little something I figured you would probably find interesting."

"And what would that be?" Kate asked sarcastically, clearly not expecting much. Blake just smirked as he came to a stop a few feet away. He turned to face Kate, a paw raising. He snapped his digits, the sound echoing in the largely emtpy room. For a moment nothing happened, and then, to Kate's immense surprise, three mammals in all black gear, masks included, fell from the rafters and landed a little behind Blake. The Wolf spread his arms out.

"Survivors." With that one word, the mammals all reached up and pulled the masks off. Kate's eyes widened in shock, her breathing stuttering, as she took in the faces of mammals she'd long thought dead.

"Oh my god..." Kate whispered, stepping forward slowly towards the three mammals. "I...I saw all of you _die_. How can you be here?" She asked quietly, the largest mammal, a Tiger, smiling faintly.

"It's good to see you again, Commander." Hassan said, the Sumatran Tiger smirking ever so faintly at her. Kate turned her head to the two other mammals, Juggernaut and Negotiator, and wasn't entirely surprised to see the Mongoose leaning against the Wolf. "To answer your question, however, I waited until the attacker walked out of the room, grabbed Juggernaut, and met Negotiator at the entrance to the tunnels."

"We nearly got fried when they detonated the explosives. Only barely managed to get into a side room, and even then Hassan lost some fur on his arm. After that, we went to the black market system in the sewers, got Hassan patched up, and went about keeping hidden. A few days ago we met Jacob, and he told us that you were alive last he saw you, and suspected about where you would be. So we came here." Negotiator said, Hassan and Juggernaut nodding their heads.

"Well, I met him a month or so ago. The others met him a few days ago." Hassan remarked, Blake grunting agreement. Kate's smile grew slightly, and she let out a laugh.

"God, I can't believe this. I thought I was the only one left." She said, Hassan shrugging.

"Apologies, ma'am. We would have let you know before, but we didn't know you survived until only recently, and only today was it safe to move." The Sumatran Tiger looked around. "Nice place you got here."

"Thank you. It belongs to the Assassins, though, so compliment them when we see them." Kate looked at Blake, walking up to him. The Wolf tilted his head in curiosity, not expecting Kate to grab him by the front of the shirt and pull him into a kiss. His eyes went wide, remaining that way all the way through it. When Kate pulled away, she smirked. "That's for bringing my family back to me." She remarked, Blake's expression softening for all of two seconds before he realized what was coming. Before he could react he was on his back and his jaw ached again. "And that's for..." Kate trailed off, silence falling for a moment.

"Taking so long to do it?" Negotiator suggested.

"Already used it." Kate and Blake both said, looking at each other in surprise.

"So you don't have a reason?" Hassan asked, arching an eyebrow.

"I did, but then I didn't when I actually went through with it." Kate answered, shaking her head. "Kinda just disappeared, like when Lance took Juggernaut's knife a few years back."

"He said he hadn't seen it!" The Wolf exclaimed, the other Operators looking at him. "Wait, you guys knew!?"

"We kinda just assumed he gave it back." Hassan answered, Juggernaut looking at Negotiator. She shrugged.

"That was way before us, so don't ask me." The Wolf frowned, crossing his arms.

"Bloody hell, he had a real problem with borrowing things, didn't he?" The Wolf muttered, Kate chuckling.

"I don't think Lance really understood the concept of 'borrowing' all too well." She remarked, chuckles escaping the others.

"Explains quite a lot." Hassan muttered. Mutters of agreement coming from the other two Operators. "So, Commander, what do we do now?"

"Well, first thing's first, don't call me Commander." The three Operators all looked surprised at that, Hassan frowning. "I lost that rank when Home was destroyed. Now, I'm just Katherine Wu." Blake blinked at that.

"Your name's Katherine?" He asked, tilting his head in surprise. Kate looked at him, not realizing he'd stood up.

"Yeah." She answered, Blake frowning.

"Huh. Your files always listed you as Kate, so I thought-"

"I don't like the name." Kate said, interrupting him, and Blake let out a noise of understanding.

"Makes sense." He said, Kate turning to look at the three Operators.

"Second of all, we are going to need weapons of some kind. Right now I don't care _how_ we get them, I just care that we _do_ get them. Find a way to get enough weapons and ammo for an assault on a likely highly fortified place, because we're gonna need it." The three Operators exchanged glances, obviously confused, and Negotiator stepped forward.

"Comman-sorry, Kate, what are we attacking that we're going to need that many weapons and that much ammo?" The Monsgoose asked, Kate huffing.

"Right now, I have no clue. I just want to be safe." The Timber Wolf answered, sighing to herself. "I just know we're going after the mammal that killed our brothers and sisters and destroyed Home, and this time we have a great many mammals who will be helping us." She looked at Blake, the Grey Wolf taking a moment to realize what she wanted.

"Oh, right." He said quietly, stepping forward. "The Assassin Brotherhood of Zootopia is only around fifty strong, last time I counted the roster, but I hope this will be more than enough. Quite frankly, I'm expecting a lot of our numbers to die when we do go after him, which is why I'm going to need your help. A lot of our members do not have very much training outside of the basics in equipment fuction and only the most basic of combat training. We need you to help us train them to the level our target will require if we want to have even a chance to win." Hassan looked around, shaking his head in disappointment.

"This has been going on for almost five, six years and most of your forces aren't even properly trained?" The Tiger asked, Blake sighing.

"It's been difficult to get them all together long enough to properly train them. We're lucky we got them all here enough to actually give them the training they do have." Blake paused as a flicker of consideration crossed his features. "We do have a few highly trained Assassins, of course, but not enough to make much of a difference. Lumi Keto, our firearms specialist. Is Larsson, our close quarters specialist. Daniel Clawhauser, one of the oldest Assassins we have. Judith Hopps and Nicholas Wilde, our two highest ranking members." The Operators all looked surprised by the last two mammals on the list, their mouths opening slightly.

"Wait, you mean that Officers Hopps and Wilde are...Assassins?" Juggernaut asked, his tone conveying that he didn't quite believe what he'd heard.

"That is correct, yes. They were the ones who started the recruitment phase that gave us our numbers. Before they did that, only they and Daniel Clawhauser remained, not counting the Mentor." Blake answered, the Operators looking at each other in amazement. "In fact, they were the ones who attacked that warehouse nearly five years ago. They were also the ones who killed the Templar hit squad that went after them in Bunnyburrow, soon after the warehouse attack."

"Wait, what? There was more than one...event in Bunnyburrow?" Negotiator asked, Blake chuckling.

"There was, yes. The reason nobody knows about it except those involved are because the bodies were disposed of and the weapons collected and brought here. Most of them, at least." Juggernaut and Hassan exchanged looks.

"The bodies or the weapons?" Juggernaut asked, Blake and Kate glancing at each other in amusement.

"A bit of both, actually." Kate answered, looking at Blake and jerking her head back towards where the computer was. 'Call everyone.' She mouthed. He nodded, then walked off. "I suggest finding a comfortable place to sit. It might be a while." The Operators sat down on the floor, Kate huffing. She'd nearly forgotten that they were likely used to sleeping on rock hard surfaces. She sat down as well.

Blake walked back over to them a moment later, informing them that it would probably be about an hour before everyone was able to arrive, and even then that Officers Hopps and Wilde might not be coming due to having a Contract the day prior. He sat down next to Kate, the Timber Wolf leaning against him with a small sigh. He smiled softly at the contact, not having expected to miss it as much as he had.

"So, while we wait, you want to hear what happened?" He asked after a moment, Kate shrugging.

"If you don't mind." She answered, Blake shaking his head to indicate he didn't mind.

"Alright, so here's what happened..."

 **Several Months Prior**

Blake only barely managed to pass through the hole before the building exploded, though he was unable to close it off like he'd hoped to do so. Fire singed his tail as he fell, slamming into the concrete walkway a few inches from the water, ignoring the pain as he used his right paw to quickly pull himself into it. He went under just as the fire roared into the tunnel, spreading outward and burning everything in its path.

After about five seconds it dissipated, and Blake quickly surfaced and pulled himself onto the concrete walkway, grimacing in pain as his stomach flared with fresh pain. He forced himself to a stand, then looked around. He consulted his mental map of the tunnels, then turned around and began to hobble. He knew of a black market that used the tunnels to hide from authorities, and he also knew they had a doctor there that would probably be able to help him. Not like he could exactly go to an actual hospital, anyway.

Black spots filled the Wolf's vision as he leaned against the wall several moments later, using his paw to push himself off after a moment to catch his breath. He continued to hobble his way down the tunnel, a small smile touching his muzzle when he saw a faint flickering of light ahead. He forced himself to hobble faster, grimacing as he looked down at the knife still stuck in his body.

"Hey, stop!" He looked up at the words, seeing a Coyote pointing a rifle at him threateningly. He held up his paw to indicate he was unarmed, the other resting under the knife to keep it as still as he could. The Coyote approached slowly, rifle still pointing at him, and Blake fell to a knee.

"I need...I need help. Doctor Lake owes me a favor." At the mention of the doctor's name the Coyote froze. He looked around, then slung the rifle and let it hang by the strap as he rushed over to Blake. He draped Blake's left paw over his shoulder as the Wolf replaced its position under the knife with his right, the Coyote lifting him up.

They approached the source of the light, the Coyote stopping by a door and banging on it. A few seconds later a slot opened and eyes looked out.

"He says Doctor Lake owes him a favor!" The Coyote said, not bothering to relay the code Blake knew was required to enter. The slot closed quickly the sound of locks disengaging reached them the door opening quickly. A Lynx stood there, gesturing for them to enter.

"Get him to Lake's tent. Anybody who he owes a favor to is not somebody I want to mess with." The Coyote nodded, quickly entering and leading Blake into the complex maze that the underground black market utilized to maximum efficiency. Anybody who visited was required to memorize the maze, and quickly, lest they get lost and unable to find their way back out.

The duo stepped into a side room, the Coyote shutting the door.

"Doctor Lake, you have a visitor." The Coyote called, now more or less dragging Blake, who was starting to feel light headed. That was not good. The Coyote guided him over to a table, sitting him down on it. Sounds Blake didn't even want to try and decipher were coming from an adjacent room.

"Give! Me! A! Minute!" Blake groaned at the words, unable to keep his mouth shut in his pained and annoyed state.

"Lake!" Blake shouted, silence settling over both the room he was in and the adjacent room. After a few seconds an argument started up, Blake ignoring it. After a minute or so the door to the other room opened and a Leopard stepped out, shutting it behind him. The Coyote dipped his head, then turned and walked out. The Leopard waited for him to leave and shut the door before he glared at Blake.

"You know, I was hoping I'd never be called upon by you." Lake muttered as he shook his head, turning and walking over to a large amount of cabinets. He began to rummage through them, pulling various medical equipment he thought he'd need from it. "And in the exact day that me and Karen finally get a day to ourselves, you come in with a knife in your gut. Fan-fu-"

"Lake..." Blake said warningly, the Leopard sighing.

"Right. Forgot you don't like that kind of language." He turned. "You know, I'd have figured somebody like you would be cussing up a storm twenty four hours a day, every day. Just goes to show what I know about serial killers." He turned back to his cabinets.

"Assassin." Blake corrected.

"Whatever." Lake said, pulling on a pair of gloves. "Basically the same thing anyway. You lot just have a code to follow. In my eyes, that's all that separates you two." Blake let out an annoyed huff, raising his legs with a hiss and turning to lay down.

"Well, we also only go after certain mammals of an enemy group. Serial killers go after just about anybody that meets their criteria, assuming they have one." Blake said, the Leopard grunting. He closed the cabinets and walked over to Blake, setting a tray down next to him.

"What's it like, anyway? You prefer the Assassins or the old days, when you weren't restricted?" Blake rolled his eyes as the Leopard went about finalizing his preparations.

"To answer your first question, it's still just as dangerous. To answer the second, I was never a serial killer. I was an Assassin from the first day of when I started, just technically still learning the ropes and all that. If you'd bothered to actually keep up, you'd know all the mammals in Germany were tied to the Templars in some way." Blake said, Lake looking at him with a raised eyebrow. "Okay, most of them. A fifty has more penetration than I thought at the time, alright? Those were accidents."

"Alright, sure. If you say so." Lake remarked, making Blake roll his eyes. "Anyway, you know how this goes. I manage to keep you alive, we're done. I've fulfilled whatever favors I owe you, so don't come running back to me whenever you get injured again. You're literally the only patient I've ever had that's come to me more than once."

"That's because the rest only live long enough to come to you once." Blake remarked snarkily, Lake glancing at him with an amused smile before he raised the mask over his muzzle.

"Alright, I'll see you in a few hours, if all goes well. Wish me luck." Lake commented, Blake chuckling at the words. A few moments later Blake was out and Lake was starting on the operation.

Blake slowly opened his eyes to see the grimy, concrete roof he'd been expecting. Well, that meant he was still alive, or at least he hoped so. If this was what the afterlife looked like, he wanted nothing to do with it.

"Ah, I see you're awake. Darn." Blake turned his head to see Lake sitting in a chair a few feet away, chuckling at his own joke. The Wolf tried to move, only to realize he was restrained. He frowned. "Before you ask, I tied you down because I know you and I don't want you to tear yourself up trying to leave. You're just gonna have to wait until you heal properly before you can leave." Blake groaned, his head falling back down.

"Lake, I have to get back. There's somebody I need to get back to." The Wolf said, Lake arching an eyebrow.

"It wouldn't happen to be this Kate you were mumbling about in your sleep, would it?" He asked, Blake nodding his head. "Must be important, if you're willing to risk tearing your insides up to get to her."

"Can I trust you to keep a secret?" Blake asked, Lake looking at him like he was an idiot. He glanced around at the room.

"No, I doubt it. I mean, I'm terrible with secrets." The Leopard remarked sarcastically, shaking his head and rolling his eyes. Blake grunted.

"Alright, yeah, that was pretty stupid to ask." He admitted, Lake shrugging. "But yeah, I'd say Commander Kate Wu is pretty important." There was silence for a long moment, Lake staring at him.

"You're banging the Commander of the Operators?" The Leopard asked after several moments of silence, Blake flushing awkwardly.

"What makes you think we're banging?" Blake asked defensively, Lake arching an eyebrow.

"Blake, I've known you for almost eight years. If you think somebody is more important than yourself, chances are you're banging." The Leopard answered, Blake frowning to himself. He opened his mouth to retort, but was interrupted by the sound of a door opening.

"Hey, Doctor Lake, we got another fight victim." The Leopard groaned in annoyance, shaking his head.

"Bloody hell." He muttered to himself. "Alright, just set 'em down in the freezer, Hassan." Blake let out a small noise, his eyes widening at the name.

"Hey, Lake, tell him to come here." Blake said, the Leopard looking at him in surprise. He shrugged.

"Hey, Hassan. When you get done with that, can you come here?" The addressed mammal let out confirmation that he would, the sound of a door opening following that. A moment later, a door closed, and pawsteps approached. A Tiger stuck his head into the room.

"What do you need, Doctor Lake?" The Leopard gestured to Blake, the Tiger looking at him. "Who's he?"

"My name is Blake, I'm with the Assassin Brotherhood. Are you the Operator known as Support?" The Tiger froze, his eyes widening, and he and Lake glanced at each other. The Tiger stepped into the room.

"How do you know my callsign?" He asked threateningly, Blake glancing at Lake in alarm at the hostility in the Tiger's voice.

"Uh, Kate told me." Blake answered, the Tiger blinking. "I've been looking after her for the last few months since your headquarters were destroyed. Last I saw her she was still alive, but I'm not entirely sure about that now due to us being separated." Hassan was silent for a moment,

"So, what's Kate like, exactly?" Lake asked, his tone conveying he didn't mean in terms of personality. Hassan turned to look at him.

"What?" He asked, Lake glancing at Blake as he realized what he'd said. It was likely he'd not realized the other Operators wouldn't know about him and Kate being together.

"Um..." Lake glanced between Blake and Hassan nervously. Blake shook his head vigorously. "You know what, we should probably go. I'm sure Blake is really tired still from walking here from wherever he was when he got stabbed in the stomach." He said, Hassan blinking.

"Oh, right, of course. My apologies, Blake." The Tiger said, looking at the Wolf. "I'll go back to the others. Anila's been ill lately." He stepped out of the room.

"Oh, make sure to take a bottle of antibiotics!" Lake called, the Tiger letting out a call of confirmation. After a moment, the main entrance to Lake's little alcove opened, then shut as Hassan left.

"...Did you seriously have to ask that while he was here?" Blake asked, his eyes shut in annoyance.

"I'm sorry, I thought you two hooked up before their place got attacked!" Lake defended in a whisper, clearly not wanting Hassan to hear if he decided to listen at the door.

"No, we didn't! We've only been together for about a month, maybe a month and a half!" Blake whispered back, Lake holding up his paws.

"Well I'm sorry, forgive me for not knowing that!" Lake snapped, shaking his head as he stood. "I'm going to have a smoke. I'll be back in a bit."

"You still haven't quit?" Blake asked, clearly surprised.

"Oh shut up." Lake said, walking out and leaving Blake with a bewildered expression. He frowned to himself, then sighed and decided to try and get more sleep. It wouldn't hurt to sleep some more, surely.

It was almost a month later that Lake was confident that Blake could return to his Assassin ways, though advised him to stay in the tunnels for a few days longer so he could keep an eye on him to be sure. At least he was aloowed to walk around now, which was nice.

As Blake wandered the tunnels with barely any attention paid to his route, he thought about the chances of Kate being rescued. While they were slim unless Lumi happened to be nearby, he hoped that she had been found by the Brotherhood and not anybody else. If that was the case, she was likely already dead.

The thought was saddening, and Blake pasued as he thought over what he would do if she hadn't made it. He frowned when nothing helpful came to mind. With a sigh of annoyance he resumed walking, his lack of attention making him bump into a mammal around his size. He wasn't expecting the reaction his bumping into them caused.

A paw swung around quickly, Blake barely ducking under it with wide eyes. He lost his balance and fell onto his rear.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Calm down!" Blake shouted, holding up his paws placatingly. The mammal paused as he laid eyes on him, dropping the leg he'd reeled back for a kick to the ground.

"Apologies, I thought you might have been attempting to pickpocket me or something." The mammal said, Blake only then realizing it was a fellow Wolf. He offered Blake his paw, the Grey Wolf gladly taking it and allowing himself to be hauled to a standing position.

"No, it's fine. I should have been watching where I was going." Blake said, shaking his head.

"Well, I should be going anyway. Hassan and Anila are probably wondering where I am." The Wolf said, muttering the last part. Blake blinked.

"You know Hassan?" Blake asked, the Wolf freezing as he turned to walk away. He turned slowly.

"Uh, yeah. We're good friends." The Wolf answered, Blake humming. "Do you need him for something?"

"Yeah, actually. I think I know where somebody he's looking for is." Blake answered, the Wolf nodding absentmindedly. He jerked his head, indicating he wanted Blake to follow him, so he did. The pair walked for a few minutes, turning corners and passing several doors.

The black market that occupied the tunnels under Savannah Central was not like the avergae black market. Normal ones sold all kinds of things, from weapons, information, organs, and many other kinds of illegally obtained items. This one, however, was strictly medical. Black market doctors, organs, and medicines were sold here, and that was about it. The above-ground black markets sold the other stuff most of the time.

As the duo came to a dead end, the Wolf Blake had bumped into paused by an almost invisible door, knocking on it. Silence, save for the echoes, followed for several moments. Finally, the door opened and a Mongoose stuck her head out.

"Oh, Zach, hey." She greeted, looking at Blake. "Who's he?"

"This is...actually, I didn't get your name." The Wolf said, Blake huffing.

"My name is Blake. I'm here to talk to Hassan about a mammal he might be looking for." He said, the Mongoose looking at the Wolf for a moment before they both shrugged. She opened the door and let them in, the two Wolves walking insid.

"Hassan! There's somebody here for you!" The Mongoose called, then glancing at the Wolf with a small smile. They walked off and into a side room, shutting the door. Blake arched an eyebrow, then shrugged as he stood in the center of the room. A moment later Hassan walked into it, pausing when he saw Blake.

"I see you're up and about." The Tiger said, Blake shrugging.

"About time, too. If I had to listen to Lake and Karen going at it one more time I might have exploded." Blake remarked, letting out a small huff. "But, besides all that, I'm here to tell you that I might know where Commander Wu is." Hassan blinked at that, then glanced towards the door.

"Can you get Anila and Zach?" He asked, Blake dipping his head. He turned and approached the door, missing Hassan's smirk as he twisted the handle and opened it without thinking, not expecting to find the pair naked and making out rather...perhaps passionately was putting it lightly.

"Well, this is not what I expected to find." Blake remarked, the pair looking at him in surprise. They both froze, unsure how to react. Blake pointed behind him. "Hassan wants you." He said, backing away and closing the door. He paused, then stuck his head back in briefly. "Good on you, by the way."

"Uh, thanks?" The pair both said uncertainly even as he closed the door, turning and glaring at Hassan.

"You knew." He accused, the Tiger chuckling.

"Yep." Hassan said, Blake sighing and shaking his head. He walked over to a chair and sat down, the door opening a few minutes later and the Wolf and Mongoose walking out. They didn't look at Blake, though they were both blushing awkwardly. "Well, now that we're all here, Blake, can you tell us where you think our Commander is?" That got the attention of the Wolf and Mongoose. They both looked at him, Blake standing with a huff while Hassan sat down where he'd been.

"The Assassin Brotherhood is mostly out of safehouses at this point. That means that Kate is likely at our main base of operations, a large abandoned warehouse only a mile or so from where the Operator headquartes used to be. I figured you three would like to come with me." Blake explained, Hassan glancing at the other two mammals, who Blake assumed were likely Juggernaut and Negotiator.

"Why do you call her by her first name?" Juggernaut asked, Blake arching an eyebrow.

"Well, you see, the thing about that..." Blake trailed off as he thought of a way to phrase his next few words. He eventually sighed when nothing came to mind. "The reason for that is because we started sleeping together." There was silence for all of two seconds before Blake suddenly found himself pinned to the wall by a very angry Tiger.

"Explain." Hassan snarled, Blake gesturing to his throat to indicate he couldn't breath with Hassan's paw wrapped around it. The Tiger released his throat and grabbed the front of his shirt instead. Blake coughed as he found himself able to breath once more.

"Alright, first of all, I want to say that _she_ came onto _me_ , alright? I did nothing but take her to my safehouse to keep her safe from anybody that wished to harm her." Blake said, Hassan narrowing his eyes.

"Hassan, let him go. He's telling the truth." Negotiator said, Hassan glancing at her for a moment before turning his head back towards Blake. He huffed and released him, Blake falling to the ground. He raised his paw towards Negotiator in thanks.

"Is that what Doctor Lake meant when he asked how she was?" Hassan asked, Blake sighing.

"Do forgive him, he has no understanding of what tact is." Blake said, Hassan grumbling. "He also thought we got together before your base was attacked."

"Let's drop the subject." Juggernaut said suddenly, Blake letting out a grunt of agreement.

"We should leave now. The sooner we get to the safehouse, the better." Blake said, Hassan shaking his head.

"No good. There was a bombing the other day, so there's a search going on right now. Anybody is subject for a random questioning on the street and identification must be given to officers without complaint. Anybody traveling without identification is taken to Precinct One to be manually indentified, and none of us have any form of identification on us." The Tiger said, Blake sighing. "At best, we can more out three days from now. At worst, a week, maybe more."

"Alright, fine." Blake said, leaning his head against the wall and letting out a sigh. "I just hope nothing happens before then." Mutters of agreement sounded from the three Operators.

Four days later, they left the tunnels.

 **Present**

As Blake finished his tale, Kate was nodding her head in thought. She consulted her mental clock, then sighed. It had only been twenty minutes. She glanced at Blake, then at her Operators.

"So, Blake, since we have time I was wondering if you could show me the sparring room. Nobody really bothered to ask if I wanted to go there, and I have some strees I need to relieve." The Grey Wolf tilted his head, surprised by her request, but nodded nonetheless.

"Yeah, sure. Right this way." Blake stood, Kate doing the same and following him as they walked away. The three Operators were silent until they disappeared, then glanced at each other.

"They aren't gonna be sparring." Juggernaut said, hums of agreement coming from the other two mammals.

Thirty five or so minutes later, the pair returned and sat down where they'd been sitting previously, their expressions straight and giving nothing away. Their breathing was a bit heavier, but other than that there was no indication of what they had been doing.

 _'Must be Musk Mask in the sparring room.'_ Hassan thought with amusement, chuckling to himself.

More time passed in silence, Kate eventually leaning against Blake and closing her eyes. They didn't have to wait quite as long as they'd begun to think, but still a bit longer than expected, before the main door opened and mammals began walking in. Blake woke up Kate and they all stood, facing the mammals.

Three mammals in masks approached the five mammals, crossing their arms.

"Jacob, who are these four?" The larger one, a Cheetah in a plain white outfit, asked. Blake glanced at them.

"Daniel, these are the four surviving Operators. Support, Negotiator, Juggernaut, and Commander Wu." He pointed to each mammal in turn, the Cheetah humming in thought. "And before you ask, I called everybody here because we know who the Grandmaster of the Templars is." The other two masked mammals looked at each other.

"We already took Clawford out, Jacob. The fight is over." The smaller mammal said, clearly confused, and Blake sighed.

"Clawford was not the Grandmaster, Judy. He was the fallback." The Doe blinked, glancing at Daniel and the mammal the Operators assumed was Nick.

"Then who is?" The Tod asked, Blake glancing at Kate.

"The real Grandmaster, Nick, is Chief of Police Adrien Bogo."

 **And that does it for Chapter 48 of Zootopian Assassins! It was taken me way too long to write this, but I finally got it done! I also finally revealed who the leader of the Templars is, which I'm curious to see how people react to this revelation. I've always planned him to be the main villain from the beginning, and I even teased this revelation a long time ago, like in Chapter twenty something, I think. Next Chapter is a flashback from Judy and Nick's POV, of course, but only for the first half or so. Then we cut to the present day where everybody reacts to the fact the Mentor of the Zootopian Brotherhood is also the Grandmaster of the Templars, as well as an attack plan. I will be introducing many OCs I've been given permission to use from authors, namely LapisLucius42 and eng050599, the writers of Assassin's Creed: Zootopia and Lost Causes & Broken Dreams, respectively. Go read their stories, as they are incredibly well written, and, quite frankly, Lapis' story is what inspired me to write this story. I wish thank them for allowing me to include them in the tidal wave of violence that will be Chapter 50. I also wish to say that many people who read Chapter 50 will probably want to kill me. It's gonna be bad. Nobody's gonna be safe from death or mutilation, and I mean ****_nobody_** **. I can't wait to see how people react to that. Anyway, this is getting long enough, I'll see you guys...next update. Word Count: 8,161**


	50. False Advertising

**Hey guys Price here and welcome to Chapter 49 of Zootopian Assassins! I hope you guys are excited for this, because I know that I certainly am. I've already gone over how I want next Chapter to go down, and...well, let's just say you guys are gonna want to lynch me to the moon and back. It's gonna be bad. But besides that, the sequel I have planned will feature whoever survives, if anyone does, but they won't be main characters. They will be side characters with little overall impact on the story, but big impacts on the characters that take over from them. I will also write a Oneshot prequel that this story was originally intended to be, and a few other Oneshots to expand the universe and characters such as Otso, Fantasma, and maybe one or two others set between this story and the sequel to hype up some of the characters and the plot points as well as introduce the characters I intend to drive the story. There will be plenty of drama between characters, or at least I hope so, and a few intersecting love interests. The reason for that is...well, I can't tell you because it's spoilers, but it is for a good reason. It's not solely to cause drama, I assure you. It's simply going to be the nature of the characters in the intesecting romances. Anyway, that's enough of that, I think it's time to get...onto the story!**

Judy stared at the screen on her bracer with a nervous expression, glancing around as she tapped her hind paw.

"Come on, come on..." She muttered, staring at it for a moment longer. She looked around again, then turned back to it to see that a message had appeared.

" _Distraction planted. Cover your ears."_ Judy shut off the screen as she crouched down and crawled under a table, pressing her paws to her ears as best she could. The room shook, dust falling from the ceiling, and soon after the door blew open as a shockwave tore through the hallways. Judy grimaced as the sound of the explosion reached her a second later, gritting her teeth against the ache it caused.

Screams of pain reached her a moment later as she stood from under the table, reaching up and feeling to see if her mash was secure. She grunted to herself when she felt it was fine, then slowly approached the open door. She paused, then slowly stuck her head out and looked around. There were a few mammals screaming in agony as they clutched their ears, blood drops on the ground indicating damage.

Judy backed into the room once more, reaching down and drawing a few throwing knives from their sheaths. She took a deep breath, then turned into the hallway and threw them with practiced accuracy. All three mammals fell to the ground with knives sticking from their throats and blood pooling unfer them. She drew one more and turned, preparing to throw it, only to stop herself when she saw a familiar mammal standing over the body of the last mammal. The Hidden Blake retracted into their bracer as they faced her, amethyst eyes meeting emerald ones.

"Judy." The mammal greeted, dipping their head.

"Nick." Judy returned, smirking at him beneath her mask. "You got here fast." The Tod shrugged.

"Yeah, well, the explosion took out a few of the mammals in my way. We should probably get going, though, since I'm sure our target won't be staying in one spot for long. You still got your last bar of explosives?" Judy nodded, opening a pouch and turning slightly. Nick glanced inside at the bar of C4, then nodded. He walked off in the opposite direction he'd come from, Judy following.

"You didn't plant all the charges, did you?" Judy asked after a moment, Nick glancing at her.

"No, I kept two in case I needed them." He answered, Judy nodding her head absentmindedly. "Primed and ready, of course, just need to hit the detonator." He added.

"I figured as such." Judy remarked, chuckling quietly. She paused, ears twitching, and Nick glanced at her. "Mammals approaching. Charge on left wall, now." She ordered, Nick nodding and turning, reaching into a pouch and drawing a bar of C4 from it. He planted it on the wall, then looked at Judy and nodded to indicate it was ready. She nodded back and pulled a smoke grenade free, pulling the pin and dropping it to the ground. The pair stepped into a side room a few feets away and turned off the lights, then waited.

"Halt! Thermals on!" A voice ordered, silence falling for a moment before pawsteps approached cautiously.

"There's nothing here, sir. Might just be smoke from the explosion." A second voice said, Judy nodding to Nick. He pulled a detonator free, paused as he listened, raised his paws to his ears, then pressed it as Judy did the same. The explosion nearly deafened them this time, both of their ears' ringing.

A torso flew into the room at an angle, a bit of blood splashing on Nick's mask as it narrowly missed him. Judy chuckled at the annoyance in Nick's eyes, then stuck her head out into the hallway. She nodded to herself at the clear hallway, a paw reaching back and patting Nick on the side. She stepped from the room and turned as Nick followed her.

The pair were silent as they passed by several rooms, not bothering to check them. Enemies wouldn't be hiding in them anyway; they would be too worried about finding them to hide in side rooms that they may never walk by.

The duo paused at the end of the hallway as they came to the final door, looking at each other when they realized it was sized for a bear. Judy looked behind them at the long stretch of a hallway, the entrance not even visible,then back to what may as well have been a vault door. They both stepped aside.

"Is it ready?" Judy asked, Nick looking at his bracer. He nodded.

"Remember, it only has one shot. This is also highly experimental, so it may just explode when the projectile leaves the barrel." Nick reminded her, Judy nodding in understanding. "Well, here we go..." He muttered, the two pressing their backs to the walls opposite of each other. He pressed a button on his bracer, and an extremely loud explosion reached them only a second before the door had a large hole ripped through the lower half of it. They both nearly lost their footing as the projectile passed them, Judy grunting.

"I still don't understand why such a large caliber weapon is necessary." The Doe remarked, Nick shrugging.

"Who knows. I'm just glad we were able to use it." The Tod said, silence falling as they waited to see if somebody would investigate. After a moment they both nodded and stepped through the hole caused by the weapon's projectile.

Such a large projectile seemed pointless to the pair, but they would not deny that it was useful with breaching vault-like doors. Being experimental, however, it had its...quirks.

A beep sounded from Nick's bracer.

"It blow up?" Judy asked, Nick looking at her.

"It blew up." He confirmed, the Doe grunting. The loss of the weapon was of no concern to her. As long as it worked long enough to do what they needed it to do, she was fine with whatever it did after.

As the pair stepped onto a grated catwalk, they both turned and cleared the area. They looked up, then to each other.

"We don't have time to descend the stairs." Judy said, Nick nodding in understanding. They raised their left arms and fired their Rope Launchers, hopping over the railing with ease and descending rapidly. Not enough to cause them any harm when they stopped, but enough to get them down to the bottom floor quickly. When they reached the bottom floor they retracted the cables and crouched, moving through the door silently.

Judy paused, her paw reaching out and gripping Nick's arm. He stopped as well, turning to look at her, and she gestured to the side. He nodded, and the pair quickly pressed themselves against the wall. The sound of approaching pawsteps reached Nick's ears, and he glanced at Judy.

"Medium size. Possibly Canids or Felines." He whispered, Judy dipping her head as her paw moved down and she drew a trio of throwing knives as Nick did the same. Judy quickly and silently moved to the opposite wall, watching the tunnel intently.

As the group of mammals turned the corners, Judy and Nick struck. They both stepped away from the wall and reared their arms back, gasps escaping the mammals as they brought their arms forward and the blades flew to their targets.

Three mammals fell as throwing knives sank into their necks and heads, the duo rushing forward as the fourth mammal reached for their sidearm. Judy went low and spun, her Hidden Blade slicing through his legs and bringing him to the ground as Nick came forward and sliced through his throat. The mammal fell to the ground with a quiet, nearly silent impact and not even a gurgle.

"Hm. Easier than I expected, getting into this place." Judy remarked as they went about retrieving their throwing knives and sheathing them. Nick chuckled.

"Well, if I recall, the Templar at the entrance told us that the ones here were normally really low in numbers due to the small size of the installation. The only reason the Grandmaster is here is because they supposedly found something of interest." The Tod said, Judy humming.

"Yes, he was pretty helpful, wasn't he? Don't think he truly believed in the cause enough to die for it, though." Judy remarked, Nick glancing at her. "Still, he was a Templar, so he should have known our answer when he asked to be let go."

"Perhaps. I still kinda feel bad for him, though. Didn't really seem to understand quite what the Templars are about." Nick said, Judy shrugging.

"Foot soldiers are rarely priviledge to the end goal of their leaders, especially so when its a group as bad as the Templars." She remarked, silence falling between the two as they moved further towards their goal.

They stepped into a large room with pillars on either sides and beams sticking from the pillars, and they both paused when they saw their target standing at the other end of the room, back to them and staring at something. The duo approached cautiously, Hidden Blades popping into their ready positions.

"You know, I honestly expected more Assassins to show up." They were caught off guard by the comment, and it showed in the way they froze, raising themselves up slightly. Their target turned to face them. "But, I suppose this is more than enough. I will not fight, Assassins. I am tired of this pointless war we wage, one side always gaining ground, and then losing that ground after a period of time, neither side ever truly getting closer to their objective. So come on then. Strike me down. I shall offer no resistance." Judy and Nick exchanged confused glances, clearly not understanding why he was willing to let them kill him without putting up some kind of fight.

"This is strange to ask, but...why?" Nick asked, their target tilting his head. "If you would have simply allowed us to kill you like this, why keep the guards around, knowing they would die as well? Why not tell them to leave? It doesn't make sense." The Bear sighed, sitting down on the floor and leaning against a small pedestal.

"I knew that you would likely call it off if you encountered no resistance. So I allowed the guards to stay and to stay ignorant that I was simply waiting for you to arrive and make your way to me." A chuckle escaped the Bear. "I used to be such a believer in the cause. Now I couldn't care less who wins, so long as it results in peace." Nick and Judy approached the Bear hesitantly, still unsure if he was being honest or intended to trick them in some way. He made no move to attack them, only watching with disinterest. They stopped in front of him, and Judy cleared her throat.

"Clawford Bearrick...thank you." Both Nick and Clawford appeared surprised by the words. "Thank you for proving that not all Templars are bad. That some just want peace. I can honestly say this is one of the few times I'll regret having to kill a Templar."

"It has been an honor, Assassins. I'll see you on the other side." Nick and Judy nodded their heads, then stepped forward. They brought their paws back, Hidden Blades activating, then drove them forward and into the Bear's neck. After a few seconds they pulled their blades free, deactivating them and turning away, walking away from the dead Bear and towards the exit.

As Judy and Nick stepped into their apartment, the Doe sighed to herself as she went about removing her gear, lowering her hood and removing her mask. The Contract had gone smoothly, which was, quite honestly, a disturbing thing. It wasn't often that things went as expected, especially so in the life of an Assassin, and when things went well it called for caution. It usually meant a trap was waiting for them.

Judy jumped in surprise when she felt Nick wrap his paws around her from behind, turning her head to look at him.

"You okay?" Nick asked, tilting his head in curiosity. Judy nodded.

"Yeah, I'm okay. The whole thing with Clawford just threw me for a loop is all. I expected a huge fight and losts of bruises. Instead we got a tired Bear who just wanted us to kill him and be done with it. It isn't often you meet somebody so lost and surprisingly friendly in a group like the Templars, and that just caught me off guard." She said, the Tod silent for a moment.

"It caught me off guard too, if I'm being honest." He admitted, placing a gentle kiss atop her head, right between her ears. "However, I think I have just the thing to take both our minds off it." Judy turned at his tone, her expression one of surprise.

"Really? You want to...?" Nick chuckled at that, shaking his head in amusement.

"Well, we finally took out the Grandmaster. I think now's a better time than any." He answered, Judy frowning in consideration. Silence fell between them for a moment before a sigh escaped her.

"Alright." She answered, Nick smiling softly at that. "I've been waiting for this day long enough as it is."

"I imagine so." Nick remarked jokingly, Judy chuckling. "Now, how about we take this somewhere a bit more suited for it?" Judy nodded, the pair walking off to their bedroom. As they did so, they both knew that the night was only getting started.

Judy sat on the couch, phone sitting next to her and screen resting on the fabric. The Doe was lost in her thoughts, oblivious to her surroundings and of the approaching pawsteps. She jumped when something landed on the couch next to her, the Doe turning her head to see her bracer. She looked behind her to see Nick, the Tod gesturing to the bracer. She picked it up, turning it on and blinking at the message displayed.

"'Everybody meet at the main warehouse. It's urgent.'" She read aloud, tilting her head at the sender identification. "From...Jacob?" Surprise bled into her voice, the Doe clearly not expecting somebody like Jacob to send a message like the one he had.

"I got the message too. He even managed to send it to phones, in the event that anybody receiving it didn't have their bracer nearby." Nick said, Judy looking at him in surprise. She checked her phone and, sure enough, the message was there as well, the time listing it as almost forty minutes old.

"How'd he manage to reach the phones? The bracers aren't equipped for that." She said, Nick shrugging.

"If I had to guess, I'd say it's probably a feature of his own bracer. The different branches of the Brotherhood all have different equipment to suit the needs of their locations, both in terms of city layout and geography. If I had to guess, I'd say that Germany likely had more advanced tech for their operatives and gave the universal tech like the bracers better functions, such as the ability to send messages to phones of their fellow Assassins. Within a reasonable distance, I assume." Judy arched an eyebrow at the explanation, Nick pausing. "Or he used the emergency contact information included in the roster."

"Let's go with the second option. Makes more sense." Judy said, Nick nodding his head. "Makes me wonder why we thought including that information was a good idea."

"Probably for reasons similar to why Jacob sent the message to phones as well." Nick guessed, Judy humming. "Anyway, we should probably go. If _Jacob_ called for everyone, it must be important." Judy hummed in agreement, the pair getting changed into their Brotherhood gear and leaving out the window, making their way towards where the main hideout was.

They were not expecting everybody to show up, since they all had lives to live, but were pleasantly surprised when they arrived to find that it seemed everybody had indeed showed up. Danny was quick to appear, stopping before them as they entered.

"Hey you two. Any idea what this meeting thing is about?" The Cheetah asked, the pair shaking their heads.

"No, can't say we do. Just as confused as the others are." Nick answered, gesturing to the crowd of mammals all waiting for an explanation from whoever they were looking at. The trio nodded to each other, then began to shift through the crowd until they arrived at the front to find five mammals waiting for them. Jacob stood next to a female Timber Wolf, and to her left was a Tiger, another, male Timber Wolf, and a Mongoose that appeared to know the male Wolf rather well judging by how closely they stood. They were practically touching, and their tails certainly were.

Nick, Judy, and Danny stopped before them, crossing their arms.

"Jacob, who are these four?" Danny asked. Blake glancing at the other mammals.

"Daniel, these are the four surviving Operators. Support, Negotiator, Juggernaut, and Commander Wu." He pointed to each mammal in turn, the Cheetah humming in thought. "And before you ask, I called everybody here because we know who the Grandmaster of the Templars is." Nick and Judy looked at each other.

"We already took Clawford out, Jacob. The fight is over." Judy said, clearly confused, and Blake sighed.

"Clawford was not the Grandmaster, Judy. He was the fallback." The Doe blinked, glancing at Daniel and Nick in obvious confusion.

"Then who is?" Nick asked, Blake glancing at the female Timber Wolf.

"The real Grandmaster, Nick, is Chief of Police Adrien Bogo." He answered, silence falling for several long moments as the three stared at him in shocked silence. Blake maintained his neutral expression.

"Do you have any evidence to back this up?' Nick asked, finally breaking the pregnant silence, and Blake sighed as Commander Wu glanced at him nervously.

"Me and Kate did, but we were attacked and lost the computer. The hard drive was recovered, but somebody had already gotten to it and wiped it clean." He gestured to Commander Wu next to him, indicating she was the mammal he was referring to, and shook his head in annoyance. "So now we've lost the only way to prove to you that what we're saying is the truth. Perseus and Daedalus recovered the information as well, so you can ask them and they'll confirm it." Nick nodded, turning to face the crowd.

"Perseus, Daedalus, if you're here, come up here!" The Tod called, the gathered mammals all glancing at each other in confusion before the Lynx and Coywolf appeared a moment later.

"Reporting, sir." Perseus said as the pair stopped, the two snapping off a salute before approaching. Nick faced them completely.

"Jacob tells us that you two recovered information on the Grandmaster of the Templars. Is this true?" The two nodded their heads in answer, Nick humming briefly. "Did you also see who was listed as the Grandmaster? Either of you?" Daedalus shook his head, then glanced at Perseus.

"Percy was the one who loked at the main computer, so he might know." The Lynx nodded hi head, taking a deep breath.

"The mammal listed as the Grandmaster was, as Jacob said, Chief of Police Adrien Bogo." The Lynx felt bad about telling a lie to one of the highest ranking Assassins, but at the same time he knew that the Grey Wolf had no reason to lie on such a subject, so he was willing to trust he was right. Nick turned to face Jacob and the Operators, his expression one of confliction.

"As much as I may not like the notion, it does make sense." Judy said after a few seconds, Nick and Danny both glancing at her in surprise. "It makes sense, because how did he know to come rescue me back when I first encountered the Templars, before I became an Assassin?" Nick blinked at the question, and it was painfully obvious to the others neither he or Judy had given the idea any thought whatsoever.

"Oh my god." Danny whispered, his eyes wide. "It makes so much sense now. Why he sent me after that Templar when he knew I was likely no match for him. He could have easily taken him down himself, but he sent me." The revelation clearly shook all three mammals to their cores, never having once before thought to connect the dots about their own scenarios.

"But then why did he tell me about all of this, then offer me the chance to join? That doesn't make sense, if what you say is true." Nick said, Jacob shrugging his shoulders to indicate he didn't know.

"I'm not completely sure, but maybe he wanted the others to think that you were still fighting, or something. It would look weird if he sent an Assassin after a Templar, only to have the Assassin fail in such a way that the skill difference was obvious. So he brought in another to keep the numbers the same, deflect any possible suspicions while Daniel recovered." Jacob said, silence falling between them once more as the three processed the information. The crowd of mammals was silent, waiting to hear about what the eight in front of them were discussing.

"Alright, say this is true, how do we take him down?" Danny asked after a moment, Nick and Judy looking at him in surprise.

"Danny, wait, we can't! We should at least try and find out if this is really tue or not first!" Nick said quietly, the Cheetah looking at him.

"If we did that, he'd just kill us on the spot, and then go after everybody else. Which means we have to just take him down and pray we're not wrong." Danny said, Nick opening his mouth to retort.

"He's right, Nick. An attack is our only hope. If he fights back and kills some of us, we know it's the truth. If he waits and offers no resistance, we know we were wrong. It's as simple as that." Judy said, the Tod whipping his head around to face her.

"That strategy sounds like something that would only work in some stupid fictional story." The Tiger Operator, Support, remarked. The male Timber Wolf, Juggernaut, chuckled at that.

"Yeah, well, this whole 'lead good guy is secretly lead bad guy' also sounds like some stupid cliché in a fictional story, don't you think?" Juggernaut asked, chuckles arising from all four Operators at that.

"Zach has a point, Hassan." Kate said, the Tiger rolling his eyes.

"Alright, fair enough. Perhaps, if we're right about this, some kind of deus ex machina will save the day at the last minute, too." Support said jokingly, the Operators laughing at that.

"Heh, who knows. Maybe it will also go smoothly, and we won't lose anybody." Negotiator said, the Operators all looking at her. "Okay, so that's unrealistic, but you never know!"

"She ain't wrong either." Jacob remarked, the Operators all letting out noises to indicate they weren't cerain about that. "But, anyway, perhaps we should just get to announcing why we called everybody here, yeah?"

"Probably a good idea, yeah." Kate agreed, drawing a snort from Jacob. He stepped forward. Judy and Nick stepping aside and turning with him to face the crowd.

"My fellow Assassins, I'm sure everybody is wondering why exactly I called you here and away from whatever it is you were doing. To answer that, I would like to inform you all that we now know who the leader of the Templars is. The leader, my Brothers and Sisters, is none other than our own leader, Chief of Police Adrien Bogo." The crowd went silent at that for a moment, then erupted into shouting.

"No way!"

"You expect us to believe that!?"

"If that's true, then what chance do we have against him!?" Jacob opened his mouth to speak, but was interuppted by Kate stepping forward with purpose.

"On no." The Grey Wolf said quickly and quietly, already knowing what was coming.

"Will you all just SHUT UP!" Silence took over almost immediately at her harsh and commanding yell, Jacob and the other Operators all smirking at the crowd's reaction.

"Been a while since we've seen her have to do something like that." Hassan comented, chuckling at the stunned looks on several mammals' faces. They'd not been expecting the order, or the volume at which it was issued, and it showed.

"Now, if that is all, Jacob here would like to finish his speech! Any complaints!?" A pin dropping to the ground could have been heard through the silence that followed, and Kate huffed. "Good!" She turned to face Jacob. "Floor's all yours; make it count." Jacob nodded as Kate walked back over to her Operators, turning to watch with paws resting behind her back. He stepped forward.

"Now that that's out of the way, I have a plan on how we are going to take him down, however very few of us are prepared to put it into place. Which means we are going to have to start training, and hard. If you have vacation time, call it all in. Tell your boss a family member died and you need some time off to grieve. I don't care what you do, just get the time off to come and train with us. All of us need to be as trained as we can, which means we are going to train all day, everyday for the next two weeks. No longer, no less. When those two weeks are up, we will allow a rest period of two days, and then we will put our plan into motion. Do I make myself clear to you, my Brothers and Sisters of the Zootopian Brotherhood!?"

"SIR, YES SIR!" Jacob grinned at the call, turning to look at the mammals behind him with a grin in place. He turned back, expression serious once more.

"Good! Now, we start tonight! We'll do training in both the Animated User System as well as physically to allow for mammals who are tired to continue training without experiencing any fatigue! So let's go, Brothers and Sisters! Train as hard as you can and give it your all! Your lives will depend on it when we go after our final target! Am I clear!?"

"SIR, YES SIR!"

"Excellent! If we have any specialists, then they will gladly and without complaint offer assistance to any who need it! If you want help from a specialist, then we will alert them and they will provide!" Silence fell for a moment. "That is all! Now get to training! Physical areas are through the door to my left and behind me, while Animated User System areas are through the door behind me and to the right! Go, and don't forget to use the training weapons! We don't need any accidental casualties!"

"SIR, YES SIR!" A salute accompanied the words, Jacob grinning as the mammals mostly turned and walked through the door to the physical training area, only a few going for where the Animated User System was. As they all disappeared, Jacob turned to face the other seven mammals and clapped his paws together excitedly, a smile in place.

"Now then, let's work on that plan of mine. Refine it, detail it, all that fun stuff." They nodded, then followed him as he began walking to the observation room.

It was time for the Assassins to go to war.

 **And that does it for Chapter 49 of Zootopian Assassins! I hope you guys liked it, and I hope you're excited for next Chapter! Now, I'm sure all of you are surprised by the fact I decided to do a mass upload of all the remaining Chapters instead of keeping with the schedule, but the reason for that is so I can stop worrying about uploading and worrying about missing a schedule like I did once before. I'm going to start uploading Chapters as I finish them now, at least until I start uploading the sequel. Haven't started it yet, of course, but I do have a few ideas for it I've got written down. Remember people, nobody is safe from harm next Chapter, so don't expect anybody to survive and you'll do just fine. You'll still hate me, of course, but less so because you were hopefully prepared for everybody to die. Now, of course I'm not saying Bogo could take everybody on all at once, but he's gonna be ready for them. That's all I'll say to avoid spoilers. Anyway, this is getting long enough, I'll see you guys...next update. Word Count: 5,129**


	51. Grandmaster

**Hey guys Price here and welcome to Chapter 50 of Zootopian Assassins! Finally, after almost an entire** _ **year**_ **, this story comes to its bloody conclusion. I'm going to be putting a lot of detail into this final fight, so expect a lot of descriptions of wounds and the like. This isn't for much of a reason, other than to make it the goriest fight in this fic. Well, also because I want to make people actually feel for the Characters. So, expect violence, death, and, most importantly, very few, if any, to survive this fight. I have a list of characters and the ways they die, among other things, so all the deaths are planned to happen the way they do. Also, I switch POV a lot this Chapter, so expect to see that happen. Anyway, that's enough of that, I think it's time to get...onto the story!**

Precinct One sat quietly in the middle of Savannah Central, all lights off to convey it was mostly empty. There would be a few officers still inside to serve as units if a call came in the middle of the night, and they would serve as a rather big hurdle for the large group of mammals that gathered on the roof. Six mammals stood off to the side, three of them decked out in all black outfits that hid every inch of fur from view. Even their hind paws were covered in tactical boots, a rarity to see. The largest one cleared their throat.

"Alright, we'll set charges in the designated area while everybody else enters from the skylight and silently take out the remaining officers. Remember, use non-lethal means to do so. They're not our targets. Knock them out, then put them in a closet or something. Somewhere out of the way." Nods came from the three mammals in front of them.

"If we're lucky, we'll manage to do this without losing anybody." The smallest, a masked mammal with a similarly colored outfit, said quietly. The one next to her glanced at her.

"Hopefully, but I doubt so." The orange dressed mammal said, a huff coming from the one in white.

"You're so pessimistic, Nick." The mammal remarked, a snort escaping them.

"I'm a realist, Danny. There's a difference." Nick corrected, the smaller one chuckling.

"You were pretty pessimistic when I first met you, though." She pointed out, Nick rolling his eyes with a huff.

"Okay, sure, but still. You're a lot less optimistic now as well, Judy." Nick remarked, Judy shrugging.

"This is nice and all, but we really should start the Contract now." Danny said, earning nods from the three mammals decked in all black.

"I agree. Go do your jobs, Assassins. We'll do ours, then join you when it's complete." The middle sized mammal said, Judy shaking her head.

"No can do, Juggernaut. You three set the charges, then wait twenty minutes before you call the cops. Tell them to bring as many officers as possible, even if they have to wake them up in the middle of the night. Just in case." The Doe said, Juggernaut tilting his head.

"Look, I appreciate your little sense of duty, but he killed our comrades. We can't just sit idly by and-" Juggernaut stopped when the smallest mammal leaned against his leg, turning his head to look down at them.

"Listen to Hopps, Zach. Please." The mammal said, Juggernaut hesitating for a moment, then letting out a sigh.

"Alright. We'll do as you say." He said, Judy dipping her head.

"Thank you. Now get to it. We'll see you when we're done." The three mammals saluted, then strode away and towards the edge of the building, uncoiling lengths of rope as they walked. Judy, Nick, and Danny walked over to the group of Assassins.

"The Contract to take down the Grandmaster of the Templars begins now. With luck, we'll end this quickly and avoid a mess. If not, don't hesitate to fight tooth and claw to take him down, given the chance. You mess up your first chance, he probably won't give you another." Nick said, the Assassins all glancing around at each other nervously. For many, it was the first time they'd really be fighting for their lives, and they all knew it. "I won't lie to any of you. Chances are at least a few of you won't be leaving this place alive. But this is what you all signed up for when you decided to stay and join when given the chance to leave all those years ago." A collective nod came from the group of mammals, Nick chuckling. "Good. Now let's get this over with." Him, Judy, and Danny turned, walking over to one of the many skylights set around the roof. Groups of mammals went to various other ones, sliding the glass panes open and firing their Rope Launchers into the edge of the building before dropping down. The three were about to do so as well, before being interrupted by quickly approaching pawsteps. They turned, surprised to find two Assassins they didn't recognize approaching at a jog. They came to a stop, bowing respectively to the three of them.

"Apologies for being late, we had some difficulties finding the place. I am Riley and this is my sister Valerie, we're the Assassins you requested a few days ago." The male one said, Judy blinking in surprise.

"Oh, right. Thank you for coming." She jerked her head towards a skylight. "We're going in now. Gonna knock out whatever officers are here, then go after our target. Be careful in there." The Assassins nodded, then turned and approached the skylight Judy had indicated. They fired their Rope Launchers and jumped, descending into the building.

"Let's go." Nick said, Judy and Danny nodding in agreement. They fired their Rope Launchers, then jumped and descended into the darkened interior of Precinct One.

As the trio completed their descent and touched down on the floor, their earpieces squawked.

" _This is Support. Charges are in place and we are moving to specified distance from building. We'll wait until the allotted time, then detonate the explosives."_ Nick raised his paw to the earpiece.

"Understood. Remember: twenty minutes, then detonate. No sooner, no later." The Tod said, an affirmative coming from Support. The earpieces squawked once more.

" _Maestro, this is Lumi. The other teams have announced the presences of officers is confirmed as false. The building is empty aside from us."_ Nick and Judy exchanged glances, feeling unease settle in their guts at the news. No officers was unheard of, even on the slowest of nights.

"Everybody group up back at the lobby. Something doesn't feel right." Judy ordered, affirmatives coming from everybody, except for two. Judy gave them a moment, then keyed the comm again. "Valerie, Riley, come in." The comms warbled for a moment.

" _Don't bother calling those two, Hopps. You won't get anything from them."_ Judy froze at the voice, her eyes widening and breathing quickening.

"What did you do to them, Bogo?" She asked, a snort coming from the comm.

" _See for yourself."_ There was silence for a few seconds, then the sound of two large objects hitting the ground a few feet away. Judy turned, letting out a quiet gasp at the sight of the twins. Their necks were twisted at unnatural angles, and Judy's paws clenched in anger at how quickly Bogo had taken them down. Like they were nothing.

"All Assassins, this is Maestro Hopps speaking. Find our target and use every means at your disposal to eliminate him. He has already struck. Any hopes we had for a peaceful resolution have been dashed." There was a pregnant pause, then affirmatives came from the others.

Lumi took a deep breath and drew the Atchisson Assault Shotgun from her back, cocking it and raising it to a ready position as she stalked forward. Behind her were Is, Perseus, and Daedalus. The Lynx and Coywolf were still liabilities in her mind, despite proving themselves more than capable. She'd not worked with them before, and this was likely the last chance she'd get, so they would have to prove her wrong before they or her were killed.

The Vixen froze when her hind paw caught on something, the lack of movement noticed by the others.

"Anybody have wire cutters?" Lumi asked quietly, turning her head to look behind her. The _click!_ of a mechanism disengaging reached her ears, Lumi turning back around to see a flash. She leaned to the side in an effort to avoid the oncoming projectile, but didn't move fast enough.

Lumi fell back with a muffled shout of pain as a blade embedded itself into her right eye, the Vixen more than aware she was lucky it hadn't gone further and into her skull. By all rights it should have, but she'd gotten extremely lucky.

"Lumi!" Is shouted in a panic, rushing towards her. Another flash in the darkness, and he quickly dodged to the side. However, like Lumi, he didn't move fast enough. Blood spurted as his left paw fell to the ground, the Hare clutching the stump that was left in its place with a scream of pain muffled by him gritting his teeth. Lumi rolled over to warn shout at Daedalus and Perseus to stay back, but like fools they rushed forward despite the obvious makings of a trap.

Perseus was the first to realize their mistake, and he came to a stop, paw reaching out and grabbing the back of Daedalus' outfit in an effort to stop him. A whizzing sound filled the air only seconds before Daedalus' head jerked to the side and he fell, a blade sticking from the side of his head. Perseus stared in shock at his dead friend as Lumi raised herself to her knees to try and stand, only to stop when the Lynx jerked. She stared at him in silence as he remained standing for a few seconds before dropping to the ground, a blade sticking out of his throat. Lumi grit her teeth in anger, raising her clenched paw.

"Paskiainen!" She brought her paw down, pain radiating from the impact. She didn't care. " Paskiainen! Paskiainen! Paskiainen! Paskiainen! PASKIAINEN!" With each repeat of the word, her paw was raised and brought down again and again, until one last final scream came from her before her words failed her and she was reduced to a shaking body and screams of anger at the loss of her team mates.

Not too long after, Lumi felt a paw rest on her shoulder and she turned, surprise forming on her face when she saw Is standing there.

"We should go. We're of no use to anybody here anymore." The Hare said, Lumi opening her mouth to argue. "Lumi! We can't help them with our injuries! Let them avenge our fallen friends in our place. Trying to do it ourselves would only get us killed and their deaths to mean _nothing_! Do you want that!?" Lumi was silent for a moment, then shook her head.

"That paskiainen will pay for this, Is." She said, the Hare nodding his head in agreement.

"He will, Lumi, I promise. But not by us." The Vixen allowed Is to pull her to a stand, the pair shuffling past the bodies of their team mates and towards the exit. They both needed medical attention.

Charlie and Delta teams slowly made their ways up the still and silent escalators, their steps as silent as they could make them. Charlie's leader, a Wolf by the name of David Hawthorn, raised a paw to his comm.

"Maestro Hopps, Charlie and Delta are ascending to the second floor. Any sightings yet?" There was silence for a moment, then a sigh.

" _Valerie and Riley were taken down a minute or so ago. Me and Maestro Wilde are searching the offices."_ David grunted acknowledgement as he continued up the escalator, eventually coming to the top. Valerie and Riley must have been who she meant when she'd announced their target had already struck.

The rest of Charlie joined him, followed quickly by Delta. David had only taken two steps forward when angrily screamed words he didn't understand, followed by a scream of raw anger, resounded through the building. The mammals all froze, turning their heads towards where the screams had come from.

"That was Lumi Keto, from Beta. Either they've encountered the enemy, or he set traps." Jason Kent, a White Tailed Deer, remarked in his familiar deadpan way that only served to annoy the others. "Judging by the way she managed to make a sound, I'm guessing traps."

"Shut up, Jason." Catherine Willows, a Jaguar and the leader of Delta Team, snapped. The Deer glanced at her, then turned away.

"Hey, David, downstairs." The Wolf turned his head to see his friend Jim gesturing towards the first floor, and he followed his gaze to see Lumi Keto and Is Larsson of Beta making their way towards the area under the skylights. He grimaced at their wounds; Lumi had a hole where her right eye had been, likely taken out by some kind of trap, while Is was clutching a bloody stump where his left paw had been.

"Ah hell." David muttered, frowning to himself. The two teams were watching the pair, and didn't notice when one of them disappeared with not even a sound. As the two teams turned to continue on their way, David narrowed his eyes when he noticed they were short one mammal. "Where'd Catherine go?" There was silence at the question, the gathered mammals all looking around nervously.

"Where the hell did she run off to now?" Jason muttered to himself, David glaring at the Buck at his obvious uncaring tone. He was most likely more annoyed by her disappearance than worried, and that angered David to no end.

"Search the rooms. All of them." David ordered, earning nods from the mammals as they spread out. All of them had at least one firearm on them, mostly pistols, but a few had SMGs or PDWs. David linked up with Jim and the pair approached a cracked door with paws resting on the Bearetta 92F they each had strapped into a holster on their sides. They drew the firearms simultaneously, raising them to positions that Lumi had drilled into them to suit their own comforts and natural body postures.

Jim reached out and slowly pushed the door open, breathing a sigh of relief when he saw Catherine standing inside the room, looking at something.

"Catherine, there you are. Jesus, you scared us." Jim stepped into the room without a thought, David's ear twitching at the faint _click!_ that reached him. He barely had time to react before the room was engulfed by an explosion, the shock wave knocking him back. His hind paws tripped over each other and his back hit the railing, David yelping as he tumbled backwards and over the railing, twisting in the air. He didn't even have time to aim his Rope Launcher before his neck hit the ground, snapping like a twig from the impact.

The remaining members of Charlie and Delta teams grouped up at the source of the explosion, their eyes wide in shock at how readily their target had planted explosives of some kind. A few of them looked terrified, not expecting to lose as many mammals as they had.

"We should continue on. The sooner we find and kill our target the less of us are going to die." Jason said, his expression infuriatingly neutral. He clearly didn't care that some of them had died, only that it would mean less of a chance they'd take their target down easily.

"Less? That's cute." Jason's eyes widened in surprise only moments before a resounding _boom!_ sounded as a large object landed in the middle of them, crushing a few under its weight. It took the Buck a few precious seconds to realize it was their target.

Jason reached for his sidearm quickly, but was sent flying by a hoof slamming into his side. He bounced off the window, cracking it to the point of almost breaking, and wheezed on the ground as he tried to draw air into his lungs. He managed to raise his head to see one of his companions attempt to rush the large Bull, only to be blocked and their arm broken, then tossed over the railing and to their death. Bogo turned to look at him, Jason locking up in genuine fear for perhaps the first time he could remember. As the Bull approached the Buck tried to reach for his sidearm, only to begin to panic when he didn't find it where it should have been.

He was hyperventilating in fear when Bogo finally reached him and lifted him into the air. The Bull drew his arm back, Hidden Blade popping into existence, and Jason threw his paws up.

"Wait, please! I can help!" He shouted, the Bull pausing in surprise at the words. He snorted.

"I don't need help with _cubs_." Jason's eyes widened even further in alarm when the Bull pulled him closer, then quickly brought him forward again. The Buck crashed through the window with a bleat of terror, flipping end over end until he finally crashed against something, neck slamming against a corner. It snapped loudly, and Jason Kent was no more.

Vaz, Naomi, and Sebastian all turned at the sound of an explosion, the two Tigers' ears raising in alarm and angling towards where the sound had come from. All three of them were silent, waiting to see if they'd hear anything else. Minutes passed.

"This is bad." Sebastian muttered, hums of agreement coming from Vaz and Naomi. He turned away from where the explosion had come from, raising the Glock 18 KPOS the Operator Negotiator had been kind enough to lend him for the mission. He rather liked her, finding the Mongoose a good mix of friendliness and approachability that was likely rare to meet in such a line of work. If he survived, he'd have to see about befriending her.

There was a quiet impact, then the sound of an alarmed intake of breath from behind him.

"Vaz!" A crunch followed, Sebastian turning quickly in time to see Naomi fall to the ground, head twisted at an unnatural angle. Vaz was staring in shock at his mate, silence the only thing that came from him for a few moments.

"You..." Vaz's paws clenched with audible popping noises. "YOU BASTARD!" He rushed forward.

"Vaz, no!" Sebastian called, his warning falling on deaf ears as Vaz roared in anger, bringing his paw back to send a harsh punch at their target, only to be intercepted and knocked away with ease. He stood and charged again, Bogo's expression one of annoyance and boredom.

"You're dead!" Vaz shouted, Hidden Blade engaging as he brought his paw back again.

"You're the one who's dead." There was a flash, and then Vaz's head jerked and he fell to the ground. Sebastian stared in shock at the blade that protruded from the Tiger's skull, feeling terror wash over him as he realized just how outclassed almost everybody in the building would be compared to Bogo.

 _'This entire operation was a mistake. We're all going to die here, and nobody will ever know the truth. We failed the moment we started.'_ Bogo approached him, staring down at his shaking form with disdain.

"Pathetic." The Bull's arm flashed out, and the next thing Sebastian knew the world was spinning as he was sent flying away. He landed harshly, slowly raising his head and staring in shock at the pair of legs that lay a few feet away.

Bogo waited for a moment before he turned away as the small mammal expired, a huff escaping him as he went off to find his next targets.

Support leaned against a wall on top of a building, eyes closed and a somewhat content smile on his muzzle. As far as he could tell, things were going well for the Assassins. He hadn't bothered to listen in on the radio chatter, finding the idea to be more of a hassle than anything. With so mammal mammals, it was sure to become a mess if things went south. He hated messes.

The Tiger's eyes opened quickly at the sound of an explosion, not expecting to hear such a sound for another few minutes. The sound of pawsteps approaching told him that Negotiator and Juggernaut were joining him.

"What happened?" Juggernaut asked, looking towards Precinct One in alarm. "Did they detonate early, somehow? An intercepted signal, maybe?"

"They didn't detonate. Bogo set traps." The three Operators turned at the words, all blinking when they saw a pair of Wolves standing there.

"About time you joined us. We were starting to think you'd never show." Support remarked, glaring at the slightly bigger male Grey Wolf.

"What can I say, we got a bit tied up." The male remarked, Juggernaut growling warningly.

"He means we misplaced our stuff, Zach." The other Wolf, a female Timber Wolf, said. Juggernaut stopped growling.

"My apologies. We're still adjusting to him and you being together, let alone him." Juggernaut said, the female Timber Wolf chuckling.

"Well hurry up and adjust. I don't want any fights breaking out in the future." She jokingly ordered, a smirk touching her muzzle before it was replaced with a sad look. "I still can't believe Bogo's actually the one we're after. It just seems so..."

"I know, Kate. Nobody expected it. Let alone that he actually did all the stuff that he did." All of them knew he was talking about the attack on Operator headquarters. There was silence for a moment before Support sighed.

"You two go get set up. We'll wait for the right time, then carry out our side of the plan, regardless of the need." The Tiger said, Kate nodding.

"Let's go, Blake. We have our orders, now let's trust in the others to fulfill the requirements for our orders to be followed." Kate said, the male Grey Wolf dipping his head.

"They will, don't worry. Despite however many losses they take, they _will_ pull through. I know it." With that, the pair turned and jogged off, leaving the three Operators alone. They all three turned in time to see a window shatter and a mammal fly through the air, falling and landing on a rather fancy car.

"Isn't that a Furrari?" Support asked, hums of confirmation coming from Negotiator and Juggernaut. "Huh. The owner of that is not going to be happy."

Wolford stepped from his and Nadine's cruiser hurriedly, shutting the door while the Tigress did the same. He took a step forward and blinked in surprise at the mess that was the pair of Assassins in front of them. One was a Vixen missing an eye and the other was a Hare missing a paw, both wounds fresh. The Vixen was staring at them, her paws hovering over the sidearms set in holsters at her sides. She didn't appear to want to cause them harm, but the look in her remaining eye told them that she would if she had to.

"Assassin." Wolford said somewhat friendlily, hoping to diffuse the situation.

"Officers." The Vixen replied curtly, Wolford frowning at the lack of want to be tactful. "As you can see, me and my mate require medical assistance. Would you be so kind as to acquire it for us?" The tone she used was polite, though forcefully so. She clearly realized that being kind and reducing her threat level would factor greatly into getting help faster, as evidenced by the fact her paws moved away by the sidearms and one wrapped around the Hare. He appeared to be barely conscious, though from blood loss or shock was unknown.

"We can call an ambulance while we continue to Precinct One, sure, but-"

"No. Take us to the hospital directly." The Vixen said, her tone commanding. She was used to giving orders and having them followed. "Precinct One is currently a death trap for any officers that wish to go there. There was a takeover by a Templar earlier and the Brotherhood is currently attempting to take the Templar down." Wolford and Fangmeyer exchanged surprised glances.

"How many of you?" Fangmeyer asked, tilting her head.

"All of us." The Vixen answered, the two officers blinking. "And yes, the numbers are necessary. Our target is highly skilled; he was the one that took down the Operators, to be exact." Wolford glanced at his partner.

"She has a point, Nadine. If we go, we risk being caught in the middle of a fight we have no business getting involved with in the first place." Wolford said, the Tigress frowning.

"But-"

"We do not have the time for buts, Officer Fangmeyer. Either get us to the hospital for medical care, or let my mate's life rest on your minds. There's somebody waiting for us back home, anyway." The Vixen said, Fangmeyer grunting in annoyance at being interrupted once more by her.

"We'll take you to the hospital, Assassin. Fangmeyer, you warn the other officers that it may not be safe to enter the building." The Tigress nodded and opened her door, climbing into the vehicle and grabbing the radio. Wolford approached the Vixen, who reached up and removed the hood. She shook her head, extending her paw not supporting the Hare.

"It's a pleasure to meet you once more, Officer Wolford. Been a minute." She said, grinning faintly at the blink of surprised recognition Wolford gave her.

"Wait, Miss Keto? From Jim's Gun Store?" The Vixen chuckled, nodding her head.

"That would be me, yes. Frankly, I don't know why I'm letting you in on who I am. I just know I can trust you." She said, Wolford dipping his head in thanks. He inclined his head towards the car, Lumi smiling gratefully and beginning to approach it, the Hare looking to be barely conscious, if his slackening every few feet was any indication.

Judy crouched down, her back against a wall and unmoving as her mind traveled at speeds she was unused to. The chances of anybody else being alive but her, Nick, and Danny were slim to none. It was a sickening feeling, coming to that kind of realization. Almost fifty mammals in just one night was...disheartening, to say the least.

Judy took a deep breath and sighed, shaking her head to clear it as she stood. She glanced over at where Nick sat leaning against a wall, Danny a few feet away. Both had thoughtful expressions, both considering their chances at actually winning a fight against their target with only the three of them and whoever had been lucky enough to survive. Judy raised a paw to her comm.

"Anybody still alive, get to the top floor. We're going to Bogo's office." She said, not bothering to wait for any affirmatives before she turned to address Nick and Danny. The Cheetah beat her to it.

"Perhaps we should just run." Judy blinked at the words, her gaze moving to rest solely on Danny in surprise. His expression was one of defeat, the Cheetah clearly having little faith they would be able to actually fight back against their target. "If we go far and fast enough, we should be able to stay alive long enough to recruit more mammals. Train them hard and long until they're the best they can be, then come back and try again."

"Danny, we can't. If we do that, Bogo will go after our families. Do you want that? Do you want Bogo to go after Ben because you were too scared to try?" The Cheetah locked up at the question, his eyes wide under the mask. Nick wasn't done. "Do you have any idea what Bogo would do to him? He would kill him slowly. Possibly torture him. He would do that and more just to send you a message, and then he'd go after everybody else that could have a single hint of knowledge about the Brotherhood." Danny was silent for a moment, his eyes showing he was imagining all the things that would happen to his brother if he gave up and ran. He swallowed.

"Alright. We stay, we fight, and we _win_. We win so that future Assassins don't have to worry about him. We win to avenge our fallen friends." He dipped his head as if agreeing with himself. "Yeah. We win. No matter the cost." The three mammals turned, walking out from the room they'd hidden in to collect their thoughts and plan, making their way towards the lobby. When they entered the large, open space they raised their wrists and fired their Rope Launchers, pulling themselves up and over the edge of the railing and onto the top floor. They waited for a moment, then approached the door to their target's office.

"Wait. How long has it been?" Nick suddenly asked as Danny reached out to open the door, the Cheetah pausing as Judy glanced at the time.

"Fifteen minutes since the start of the Contract and five minutes since Charlie and Delta went to the second floor. We're pushing it, but we might have enough time." The Doe answered, hums of agreement coming from Nick and Danny. "However, just in case, let's go ahead and do it." She sent a message to the Operators, the trio backing away from the door and moving a couple doors away from it just to be safe.

They didn't have to wait long before the sounds of explosions nearly deafened them, the door to Bogo's office blowing off its hinges and tumbling over the railing. The faint sound of it impacting the ground a couple floors down reached them as they approached the office.

Danny stepped into the room first, moving over to the hole in the building and looking out and around, glancing at the rebar that stuck from the wall a few feet away, thinking that it must have been blown there by the explosion. He moved over to a corner as Nick and Judy stepped into the room, quickly setting up somewhere they could conceal themselves for when their target arrived.

They didn't have to wait long before Bogo tentatively stepped into the room, his eyes narrowed. He looked around suspiciously, then snorted.

"Come on out, Assassins. I know you're in here." There was silence for several seconds, and Bogo huffed in annoyance. Then, as one, the three Assassins moved from cover. Judy threw a couple throwing knives, the blades sticking into Bogo's leg. He turned his attention to her, giving Nick the chance to rush the Buffalo and slam his Hidden Blades into the side of his leg, activating the Phantom Blades and firing them. He leapt away as Bogo spun, the Buffalo's Hidden Blade barely missing him.

Danny swung his Kyoketsu Shogei, the blade slamming into the Bovine's arm and quickly being pulled free by the Cheetah. He spun and sent it into Bogo's other leg, running forward and sliding under him, pulling the blade free as he did so. He clambered up Bogo's back and raised his Kyoketsu Shogei, preparing the bring it down when Bogo reached back and managed to snag the front of his outfit, flinging him off. He slammed into the wall, but didn't feel himself bounce off it. A look down told him why.

Judy and Nick stared at him in surprise, none of them expecting what had happened. More importantly, they stared at the rebar he'd been impaled on. A strangled cry of pain escaped him, his eyes wide as he stared at the bloody piece of metal.

Bogo was quick to capitalize on their surprise, quickly turning and slamming an arm into Nick and sending the Todd into the opposite wall. Nick fell to the ground, wheezing, as Bogo did the same to Judy. The Doe flew through the hole where the door had been, slamming into the railing with enough force to make her vision blurry and likely giving her some kind of injury.

Bogo glanced at the incapacitated Assassins, huffing as he turned back to Danny and approached him. The Cheetah was obviously in large amounts of pain, if his twitching facial muscles were any indication. Bogo shook his head.

"Since you're already dying, I might as well tell you the truth. You remember your father?" Danny growled warningly, his grip on the rebar tightening at the mention of the mammal. "Well, guess what Danny, I lied." Confusion appeared on Danny's expression, clearly not understanding what Bogo was referring to.

"W-w-what?" Bogo sighed.

"I lied, Danny. Your father was no Templar. He was just an innocent mammal, trying to live his life." Shock was the first thing that followed the words, Danny blinking. Anger followed.

"No. You...you're lying!" Danny snapped, lurching forward in his anger. The movement only served to bring him more pain, the Cheetah gasping and hissing.

"No, Danny. I am not." Bogo raised his arm, bringing it back and activating his Hidden Blade. "I can honestly say that I'm sorry." His arm came forward.

Nick raised himself to a stand slowly, leaning against the wall and reaching for a pouch on his belt. He opened it and, with shaking paws, placed another blade into his left bracer. He turned his head to see Bogo staring at him, and the Todd couldn't help the smirk that pulled at his muzzle.

"You know, I always felt that there was something off about you, but I could never figure it out. You always seemed shifty, like you weren't telling the whole truth, but I always dismissed those feelings. You're probably asking yourself why I would do that. The answer is that I trusted you." Bogo appeared to be momentarily surprised by the admission, but didn't say anything. "More importantly, Judy trusted you. Honestly, she's always been a better judge of character than me, though that might not be very obvious. I figured that if she trusted you, then I was probably just being paranoid. And yet here we are, two mammals who should be allies fighting each other. I would ask you why you decided to defect, but quite honestly I don't care. You did it, and for that you deserve a traitor's death. And I shall happily deliver it." Bogo scoffed, but didn't refute the possibility that Nick may get lucky.

Neither of them expected the blur of black and grey that slammed into the side of Bogo's knee, making the Bovine grunt and his leg buckle. Nick recovered quickly, rushing forward even as Bogo turned and slammed a paw into the object, sending it slamming into the wall, where it fell to the ground and Nick realized it was Judy. Bogo continued his turn and stuck his arm forward, Nick jerking to a stop with only a quiet gasp.

Judy raised her head with a small whimper of pain, her eyes widening at the site that greeted her. Nick was frozen in place, mouth parted slightly and eyes holding more surprise than she'd ever seen before. Before she could utter a sound Bogo jerked his arm back, Hidden Blade sliding into his bracer and his leg coming forward. He sent Nick flying into the wall, the Todd falling to the ground and remaining still. Bogo watched him for several seconds before turning and approaching Judy.

"I may as well ask, Hopps, but what's the reason for the hole in my office wall?" Bogo asked as he loomed over her, Judy raising herself up, then immediately falling back and sitting against the wall. She chuckled, shaking her head, then let out a sigh.

"Oh, that's easy, Bogo. The hole is how you're gonna die." She answered, Bogo huffing in amusement at the answer.

"Oh really now? Because it doesn't seem to me that there's anybody in this building that could push me out of it." Another chuckle escaped Judy even as Bogo brought his arm back, Hidden Blade sliding into view and ready to be used.

"I never said your death was inside the building." Judy said, Bogo tilting his head. He turned to look outside, then glanced at her.

"Well then where are they?" He asked, his tone conveying he didn't believe she was telling the truth. Judy just chuckled as a faint green line appeared, coming to rest on Bogo's head.

"Right there." She answered, Bogo opening his mouth to say something when his head suddenly exploded. Blood and gore was thrown around the room, and Judy let her head hang and a sigh of relief escape her.

" _It seems I was too late, Maestro Hopps. I'm sorry."_ Judy just smiled softly at the words even as she stood with a pained grunt and approached Nick.

"Don't worry about it, Jacob. You tried, and you still made it in time to make a difference. That's what matters." She said, reaching up and pulling the comm from her ear. She tossed it away even as the sound of the main building entrance being slammed open reached her. She slowly sank to her knees, reaching down and raising Nick up and his upper body into her arms.

As officers stormed into the room with weapons raised, she placed a soft kiss onto the top of Nick's head, knowing what was likely to happen to her. It didn't matter. The Templars were defeated, and the Brotherhood would live on.

More importantly, the Zootopian Assassins would live on.

 **And that does it for Chapter 50 of Zootopian Assassins! I am so excited to finally have this complete, because I have been fussing over this Chapter for a while. Tell me what you guys thought about it, please, because I seriously want to know. All the remains now is the Epilogue, and then I will be planning the sequel. Yes, I always intended for Nick and Danny to become casualties, but wait until the Epilogue to get your pitchforks and torches ready. It's not as bad an ending as you think, I promise. The sequel we'll see about, but this story ends somewhat happily. If I'm being honest, however, I'm not entirely happy with how this Chapter turned out. However, I don't want to have to rewrite it and make you guys wait even longer for the finale than you undoubtedly have. I'll be rewriting the first few Chapters, though not immediately. It will be a bit before I do, but I promise that I will. I want to get a general idea of how the sequel will go before I do anything else for this series. It won't be nearly as long as this, I'm thinking, so don't worry about that. Maybe half as long, but probably shorter. The reason for this is due to the fact it's about a set of characters that are not at all going to be taking their time. They will be striking quickly and without thought. Hold onto that, because that is important. Now, I may rewrite a few scenes of this, but I make no promises. Sorry to give you such a bad Chapter as the finale, but I honestly tried my best. I'm just as disappointed as you are, trust me. I would not give you such a bad Chapter intentionally. But besides that, yes, I did plan for Lumi and Is to survive. They will play a somewhat important role in the sequel, but not nearly as extensively as this story. Anyway, this is getting long enough, I'll see you guys...next update. Word Count: 6,717**


	52. Epilogue and Sneak Peak

**Hey guys Price here and welcome to the Zootopian Assassins Epilogue! Hopefully this will be of a much higher quality than last Chapter, but I make no promises because I have no idea why it was so badly done. I just wrote, and that thing came out. I will most likely rewrite a few things to make it better and a bit more violent because that was the original plan, to make it hyper violent. I failed, and it came out poorly written. I apologize about that. Also, this Epilogue will not be as long as normal. It will only be about half the normal length, if that. The reason for that is to keep it from feeling too bloated and unnecessarily long. This Epilogue is set four or five years after the ending of last Chapter, and there's a reason for that. Anyway, that's enough of that, I think it's time to get...onto the story!**

A group of mammals sat inside a room ranging from a tiny grey Rabbit to a Sumatran Tiger. Currently, an all black Wolf was talking.

"Alright, so back during the time me and Kate were holed up in our second safehouse, I remember a story she told me about her time during training. And I mean, like, regular police training. Not Operator training." The Wolf said, the female Timber Wolf next to him groaning.

"Blake, please don't tell them." She begged, clearly knowing what he was about to say and quite embarrassed about it.

"Ah, come on, Kate, what's the harm?" The male Wolf, Blake, asked playfully. Kate just groaned and put her head in her paws. "Anyway, as I was saying, back during regular police training, you guys wold never believe who she said she had a huge crush on before she was approached by the Operators." The gathered mammals all looked between each other, curiosity etched into their expressions.

"She already told us, Blake." A Sumatran Tiger remarked, gesturing between himself, a male Timber Wolf, and a female Mongoose that sat in the Wolf's lap.

"Oh hush, Hassan, at least pretend you don't know." The mongoose chastised, the Tiger grunting.

"Alright, fine." He said, shaking his head. He turned his head back to Blake, curiosity forming. "Wait, you mean Kate had a crush on somebody? I can't believe it!"

"Okay, now you're just milking it." The male Timber Wolf remarked.

"Bite me, Zach." Hassan snapped, laughter from the gathered mammals following the statement.

"Anyway, so, Kate has a crush on this mammal, right? He's big, strong, and seems like a decent mammal. Only issue is that he's Adrien Bogo." There was shocked silence following the words, the only ones not appearing shocked by the news being Hassan, Zach, and the Mongoose in Zach's lap.

"I wish I never told you about that. Honestly, it's so embarrassing." Kate said, followed by another groan. "I mean seriously, I just want to forget about that. It was just a stupid crush, anyway. Not like it went any further or deeper than that."

"Perhaps, but I still find the fact somewhat..." Blake snorted. "A- _moo_ -sing." There was a collective groan from everybody at the pun, Blake just shaking his head.

"I hate you. So much." Kate said quietly, though her tone was affectionate, showing she didn't mean the words seriously.

"Well then you shouldn't have had a kit with me." Blake remarked, Kate chuckling and rolling her eyes.

"Dad!"

"Vom Teufel sprechen..." Blake muttered even as he stood and walked out of the room. Hassan looked at Kate with an arched eyebrow.

"Speak of the devil." The female Timber Wolf said, answering the unspoken question. The words were followed shortly by snorts of amusement. All the present mammals knew how tough kits could be, either from experience raising them or just by being around them for any length of time.

Kate knew that Zach and Anila, the Mongoose in his lap, were considering adopting a kit, but were still undecided on the species. She and Blake had had their own a few years prior, soon after their mission to take down the Templar Grandmaster. Currently her and Blake, along with the Vixen and Hare that sat a few feet to her right, the Jaguar that sat close to them, and the Doe that sat between Hassan and Zach and Anila all had kits of their own. A thought occurred to the Timber Wolf, and she looked at the Doe, opening her muzzle to ask her something, only to be beat by the Vixen.

"Say, Judy, you haven't really said anything for a while. How have you been? How's Amber been?" The Doe appeared surprised to be addressed directly, hesitating in uncertainty of how to respond.

"Uh...good. Things have been good, I suppose. And Amber has been fine." Judy answered quietly, the Vixen frowning at the rather bland answer. She'd clearly been expecting the Doe to liven up once prodded, maybe go into a long and detailed answer. Perhaps the old Judy would have.

They'd noticed that the Doe had started to become quieter and more reserved since their Contract years prior, and, while understandable, it still alarmed them somewhat. Kate in particular had been worried, having known what it felt like to lose a loved one like Judy had. She remembered the feeling of loss, and the want to just curl into a ball and _stop_. Perhaps it was different for most mammals, but her and Judy were alike in that they were both highly emphatic and emotional. The difference was that Kate knew how to put her emotions aside until they could be safely processed.

She understood the pain that Judy had been, and still was, going through from the loss of her mate so soon after sealing the deal, but at the same time she at least had something to remember him by. Perhaps she didn't understand the Doe as well as she thought, but she had thought that having what Judy did would have made it at least somewhat easier. Apparently she'd been mistaken.

The Doe loved her kit, of course, but she didn't seem to be much happier compared to before she'd found out. She _was_ happier, yes, but not as much as one would have thought she would be. Kate found it odd, but still somewhat understandable due to experiencing similar events that Judy had.

"Well, I'm glad to hear it." The Vixen said, tone somewhat sharp, and the Hare prodded her slightly.

"Lumi, be nice." He chastised, the Vixen grumbling something under her breath. Blake walked back into the room, the tail end of a chuckle audible as he did so.

"You know, I have an idea." Everybody looked at the female Jaguar in surprise, not expecting her to speak up. "So, playing a bit off of Kate's old crush, I have an idea for a little game where we go clockwise around the group, starting from Judy, and we each have to tell either an embarrassing or little known fact about ourselves."

"I can't say I ever expected _you_ to propose such a game, Amanda." Lumi remarked, the Jaguar chuckling.

"Under normal circumstances, I wouldn't. But it seems like an interesting idea, and something tells me all of us have something to share." The Jaguar said, chuckles coming from everybody at that. "Judy, if you don't mind." The Doe nodded and cleared her throat, taking a deep breath.

Knocking at the door made everybody blink, their gazes moving to the door curiously.

"Strange. I was certain everybody was here." Lumi remarked, her eye narrowing in suspicion. A paw rested on the Colt 1911 at her side.

"Lumi, not everything is a threat just because it's unexpected." The Hare next to her pointed out, Lumi grunting.

"Perhaps not, Is, but it is still better safe than sorry." The Hare, Is, sighed at that.

"Fair enough." He conceded, Lumi smirking every so faintly at him.

"I'll get it. It is my home, after all, and it's probably just somebody trying to sell me something." Judy said, hopping down from the couch and walking towards the door. Everybody watched nervously, never quite having gotten over the feeling of constant danger from years prior.

Judy opened the door, ready to snap at the mammal she expected to find, only to stop when she laid eyed on somebody else. She blinked, shock the dominant emotion in her expression, as her purple eyes met emerald.

"Hey there, Carrots. Been a while."

 **And that does it for Zootopian Assassins! Now, this is only the end of the first story. There are still several planned Oneshots** _ **and**_ **a sequel fic to look forward to. Yes, this Cliffhanger was also planned from the moment I started planning to "kill" off Nick last Chapter. Please don't burn me at the stake for this. I promise I will be showcasing Judy and Nick's relationship a bit more in the sequel, though it will largely be in flashbacks due to the fact they are not important Characters outside of the Prologue. I'll do a little sneak peek at the end of this, but it won't be spoilers since I don't want to ruin any surprise for you guys. I was originally gonna name Judy's kit Violet, but that felt too cheap and overdone, so I went with Amber since it sounded nice. It seemed fitting, though I may change it later if I come up with something better. I'll have to see. Anyway, this is getting long enough, I will see you guys...next update. Word Count: 2,171**

 **Amber Wilde-Hopps, Aukusta Keto-Larsson, Zaqueu Acosta, and Diederich Wolff enter a warehouse near the end of the Prologue**

A group of four mammals stood inside a warehouse, looking around in obvious confusion.

"Great! Just great! The only clue we had, and it's a bust! There's _nothing here!_ " One of them, a male Wolf, exclaimed angrily.

"Diederich! Shut! Up!" Another one of them, this one also male, ordered. Diederich growled.

"I don't take orders from you, Zaqueu! So unless you want to _make_ me shut up, I'm not going to!" He snapped, Zaqueu flexing his paws in an obvious display of aggression.

"Boys, shut it down, both of you. There's something here. I know it." This speaker was female, and had an unusual appearance that clearly showed hybridization of some kind was in effect in her genetic makeup.

"Aukusta, there's nothing here. At best, we can hide out for a few days. At worst, we'll be found by tomorrow, maybe sooner." Diederich said, defeat entering his voice.

"I don't believe that. Aukusta's mother wouldn't have sent us here if there wasn't something here that could help us." The final speaker, also female and clearly also a hybrid, said.

"Thank you, Amber. It's nice to see I'm not the only one thinking clearly and unclouded." Aukusta said, a scoff escaping Diederich.

"Not everyone was raised to be a psychopath, Aukusta!" The Wolf snapped, the hybrid growling.

"I am not a psychopath, Diederich, I am a high-functioning sociopath! If you're going to attempt to insult me, at least get the term right!" She snapped, clearly more annoyed at the wrong word being used than the actual insult itself.

"Only you could be more insulted by somebody using the wrong term than the insult itself, Aukusta." Amber remarked lightly, chuckling softly. Aukusta shrugged, but chuckled as well.

"Well, you weren't wrong, Amber. There's something here, alright." The three turned in surprise at Zaqueu's words, not having realized he'd begun to walk away from them. They approached him in curiosity just as he pulled on a switch. There was silence for several seconds, then the sound of locks disengaging and creaking of rusted hinges. They turned to see a door had opened, and they hesitantly approached it. Diederich was the first to enter, and he blinked in surprise when he did at what he found.

A row of strange outfits stood in racks, all but one of them having extremely similar designs. Most of them had peaked hoods similar to an Eagle's beak, the last one being nothing more than a green M42 Greatcoat and a hat. Equipment pieces rested on shelves next to the outfits, and Diederich felt nervous about what the equipment was and why Aukusta's mother had sent them here. It was then that he noticed the name tags above each outfit, and he felt alarm course through him as he read them.

"'Hopps', 'Wilde', 'Keto', 'Larsson', and 'Wolff'..." Diederich read out loud, sharp intakes of breath coming from the other three mammals. He approached the outfit that had his last name over it, reaching out and brushing a paw over the fabric of the coat softly.

"Hold on. Guys, these are the outfits of Assassins."


End file.
